


Salvage

by WaterRolls



Category: Naruto
Genre: Blank Period, Canon Compliant, F/M, Feelings Realization, Friends to Lovers, NaruHina - Freeform, Naruto is Just Naruto, Post-War, Romantic Fluff, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, smut-light, smut?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:53:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 80,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25677640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaterRolls/pseuds/WaterRolls
Summary: What if The Last movie never happened? How would Hinata and Naruto fall in love?A re-telling of their romance in the canon universe with the whole cast and crew.Story picks up after the war and the loss of his arm, then eventually shows them growing a bit older.Slow burn because you know, it’s Naruto, but with eventual adult (smut-lite) scenes. NaruHina fluff. All canon pairings.
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru/Temari
Comments: 159
Kudos: 310





	1. Broken Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> If you’re clicking on my story for the first time, thank you for your interest. To those of you who've been with me since the beginning or joined in the middle, I am humbled by your attention and appreciate you guys for sticking around. 
> 
> Thanks for all the bookmarks, kudos, and comments! You guys are awesome!
> 
> This is a longer story than usual because I wanted to go deeper into the thinking and development of the characters. Plus, I just couldn’t stop writing (><;).

**Part 1: Seventeen, Rebuilding Konoha**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Broken Pieces**

Grief was a funny thing.

Hinata Hyuuga let her tears flow, uncaring. There was no point, even the heavens were weeping, pouring over the Konoha mourners dressed all in black. Set above a rectangular box, the unsmiling photograph of Neji looked back at her. She looked beyond his coffin and saw all the others arranged in perfect symmetry before the gathered crowd.

She couldn’t hear it, but she knew she wasn’t the only one crying.

 _Oh, Neji_. 

She’d lost her strongest ally in the battle to find her own strength. Now she was alone. She continued to let her grief flow, letting the tears and the rain run down her cheeks. Yes, grief was funny. Even in the midst of her sadness, she felt pride for Neji. His death had been his choice. He had chosen to give up his life for a cause he’d believed in, and that made her happy. He had achieved his freedom, his escape from a destiny he had never chosen. 

Still, she wept.

Naruto Uzumaki, hero of the Great Shinobi War, stood beside her, looking at the rows and rows of black-covered coffins and felt his heart ache. It was heavy, but in his mind, all he could think of was: _Thank you_.

He looked at the three coffins closest to him: Neji’s, then at Inoichi Yamanaka’s, then finally at Shikaku Nara’s. He then looked beyond these three, at all his fallen comrades, his fellow shinobi. 

He made a vow. 

_Thank you all for your sacrifice, for your gift_. 

_I won’t forget. You’re all part of me. I’ll carry you with me until I die._

* * *

“Ouch!” Naruto howled. “Granny! That hurts!”

Lady Tsunade Senju ignored his complaints, grabbed his shoulder, and jabbed the prosthetic into his upper arm. She performed some complex medical jutsu, gathering her chakra and letting it flow into the seam where muscle met synthetic fiber.

“Argh!” he yelled as he felt the pain of the procedure. His nerves were tingling and fire spread throughout his body. 

She glared at him then flicked his forehead with a finger.

Naruto flinched, expecting the full force of her power, strong enough to launch him back against the wall. Instead, though, her touch only hurt a little, but he still felt a throbbing against his forehead.

She brushed at the blond hair that fell over his eyes, almost gently, then released the arm she’d just adjusted.

“There, all finished,” she said. 

He realized now that her flicking his forehead had been a way to distract him from the pain. He hadn’t even noticed that she’d finished and had completely attached the prosthetic to the rest of his arm.

Naruto looked down and flexed it experimentally. After a moment, his fingers moved on command. He wiggled them and they moved a little bit slowly. 

“It’s going to take some time to get the synapses of the nerves fully connected, so you’ll have to do the hard rehabilitation that comes with it,” Tsunade said with a hard look into his eyes. “Don’t skip the exercises. If you do, you won’t be able to completely control the movements of your arm and your fingers. That means you won’t be able to make perfect seals for ninjutsu.”

Naruto grinned back at her, blue eyes excited. “I won’t! This is pretty cool!”

He gave another wiggle and he could sense that his fingers seemed to be obeying his commands faster. 

She huffed, but she was glad to see the usual bright expression on his face. He’d been gloomy for the last few days. Tsunade worried for this boy who’d carried the weight of the world on his young shoulders. She knew that his mental state was at a delicate stage. After every war, after the carnage, survivors usually had to deal with the broken pieces that needed to be put together.

Naruto looked up to see the Fifth Hokage gazing at him with a serious expression on her face. “Something wrong, Tsunade-sama?”

She laughed, her golden eyes easing a little. “Why are you being formal all of a sudden?”

He frowned. “Well, you’re looking more grim than usual so your wrinkles are more obvious, more crinkly.”

This time, she really _did_ flick him back with one finger and her usual force. Caught unaware, he flew back off his chair and landed with a splat on the opposite wall of the hospital room.

“I’ve allowed you to call me Granny and Grandma all this time. But if you mention wrinkles again, I _will_ kill you,” she said with a growl, but she ruined the effect with a chuckle. “I guess you’re alright.”

“Not really,” he said with a muffled groan, his cheek pressed against the floor. He sat up, stood gingerly, then glared at her. “I _just_ got out of the critical care unit, but you’re so ready to put me back in it!”

She sat back in her chair overwhelmed by the sudden urge to cry as she watched him turn around and move his newly-attached arm in a circle a few times. He then bowed his head, looking for the sandals that had flown off his feet when she’d sent him flying. 

She sighed. _Oh, my boy. You’ve kept your promise and stayed alive all this time. You’ll be a great Hokage someday. Right now, though, there are still some things that are unresolved in you._ She knew firsthand the effects of surviving a war while seeing others die before your own eyes. 

Not being able to save people hurts. 

“Naruto,” she said. 

“Huh?” he said as he looked up at her, a startled expression on his face. He’d just got done putting the sandals on his feet.

“If you feel like you want to talk about anything, you come to me, okay?” she said after a pause. She smiled. “ _Anything._ I’m not Hokage anymore so I’m free.”

He grinned at her, understanding. “Yeah. I will.”

She shooed him away. “Well, you’re done now, so get out of my sight.”

“Grandma Tsunade, thank you,” he said as he paused at the doorway.

Tsunade blinked back tears as she watched him walk out. She sighed then snorted at herself for being so sentimental. Naruto wasn’t the only one who’d been gloomy these past few days. She shook her head and stood up. 

This was no time to mope around. Konoha had to be rebuilt—and there was a new Hokage who needed some guidance. She was going to have to tell him where she kept the bottles of sake she had stashed, hidden away from the watchful eyes of Shizune. He was going to need it.

* * *

Naruto had known, of course, what Tsunade had intended. She’d meant well, but he just didn’t feel like talking right now. He just wanted to let things settle in his mind, in his heart, first. He’ll deal with everything his own way. But he was really happy to hear her reaching out to him.

A rumble inside his stomach made his lips twitch. “What is it, Kurama?”

“That makes her the third person today to say that. Hmph!” Kurama growled. “It’s not like I’m not here.”

Naruto laughed, silently carrying on the conversation with the Fox Spirit in his beast plane. ”Hehe, Kurama, are you _jealous_? Are you actually concerned for me?”

There was another rumble. “Hardly. I just want other people to stop bothering my jinchuuriki.”

Naruto smiled. “Thanks, Kurama. But it was nice of Shikamaru and Kiba to try to cheer me up, though.” 

Earlier, the two had stopped by at the hospital to see him on their way to their latest mission.

He sighed. “Especially Shikamaru.”

Shikamaru, who’d lost his own father, had offered _him_ comfort. But Naruto didn’t know how to deal with it, how to accept sympathy and kindness from his loyal friend when he’d wanted to say something about Shikaku’s bravery to his son. It was awkward. He still felt guilty even though it hadn’t been his fault at all. 

“Naruto!” Sakura suddenly called out as she walked towards him. Her pink hair was tied up in a ponytail, her green eyes gleaming. She was wearing the white lab coat she usually wore when she was at the hospital.

“Sakura, you working today?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she said. She glanced at his arm and smiled. “I’m so glad Tsunade-sama finally finished the arm. That’s good, right?”

“Mm! Yeah!” he held it aloft, the bandages new and pristine. 

“I just wanted to see the arm for myself,” she said after inspecting it. She then looked down at the chart she was holding in her arms. “Okay, I still have a lot of patients to see so I’ll talk to you later? I think you’ve got to start training with your arm this afternoon. I’ll discuss it with the specialist so we can come up with a schedule for you.”

She turned and walked away.

Naruto quietly watched her go, glad that she was doing fine and keeping busy. She seemed okay. There was no need to worry about Sakura, for now. He headed towards the exit. He was still wearing his hospital clothes, but he just wanted to go outside. The weather was nice and he didn’t want to stay cooped up indoors. 

He felt like going for a walk.

His legs stopped suddenly and he looked up in surprise at the unusually warm sun blazing down at him this November morning. He hadn’t realized it, but he’d unconsciously been walking towards the cemetery. He heard a voice talking, the words carrying through the air.

It was clear and soothing, and Naruto found himself listening intently to it.

“...should see what they’re doing now at home. Father’s trying to talk to everyone to get rid of the Main and Side branch thing. It might take a while, but I’m going to help him, so don’t worry.”

There was a little laugh. “Hanabi’s driving me insane, though. She’s been pestering me so much recently, but I think it’s her way of showing how much she’s worried about me.”

It was Hinata. Naruto found himself hiding behind a tree as he watched her fuss with the sunflowers she’d laid over Neji’s grave. She was sitting on the grass, facing the headstone, her arms wrapped around her knees.

She sighed. “I wish you were still here, but I’m going to continue to get stronger. I’ll make you proud. There’s lots of rebuilding happening so there’s not a lot of time to get actual training in. I’m helping with—”

He must have made a sound because she stopped speaking suddenly.

“Naruto?” she said into the air, her ear cocked in his direction, but her back still turned away from him.

He stepped away from the tree and she finally turned to him with a smile. 

“Hey, Hinata. How’d you know it was me? Byakugan? I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

He came and sat next to her, looked at her, then at the name on the gravestone: _Neji Hyuuga_. 

“No,” she said. She was still smiling as she shook her head at him, her lavender eyes gleaming and her long dark hair danced briefly with her movements. 

“No byakugan and no, you weren’t eavesdropping. It's becoming a bad habit for me, I think. I just can’t help it. I guess I just wanted to let him know how things are going. I still feel him here, you know.” She tapped her chest with a small hand. 

Hinata looked at his face, the surprised expression written on it, and laughed. “Oh, no! Now you’re going to think it’s another habit that makes me even weirder.”

He flushed. “Did I really say that?” 

Her eyes merry, she nodded. “Yeah, but we were twelve. So I can forgive you.” She left it at that and was kind enough to drop the subject. Instead, she pointed to his arm. “I’m glad it’s done. Sakura told me you were having it attached today. How does it feel?”

He held it up and wiggled his fingers. “It’s going to take some time to get used to it. There’s still some delay when I ask my fingers and my wrist to move. Grandma Tsunade said I have to do some exercises for it to be fully functioning, though.”

“Hmm,” she said. “More work for you, but I think you’ll get it done in no time. It shouldn’t be a problem; you _always_ rise to the occasion.” 

Naruto felt a thrill of pleasure in her unwavering belief in him. “Thanks, Hinata,” he said. “I hope so, too.”

Hinata gave him a quick side-wise look but didn’t say anything. She turned back to Neji’s grave, no longer smiling, but her expression was calm and pensive. 

He noticed that she hadn’t really answered his earlier question, but he let it pass. _How’d she known it was him who’d been hiding behind the tree if she hadn’t used her byakugan?_

They sat in silence for a long time, neither Hinata nor Naruto willing to break it. He found the quiet of the moment restful as a feeling of peace wrapped him in its warmth. He realized that this was exactly what he needed, the serenity, the space, to just _be_.

All the worries of the morning disappeared as Hinata’s undemanding presence made him feel at ease. He was glad that she didn’t seem to want to talk, either. Instead, she kept her arms wrapped around her knees, lost in thought, and moved her head to the side from time to time. 

Eventually, though, Naruto plopped down onto his back on the warm grass with a sigh. Just then, his stomach gave a loud growl, signaling that it was time for lunch. Hinata laughed, the sound carrying through the air, as he flushed again. 

“Ugh, bad timing, but I’m hungry!” He laughed, too. “Do you want to go get some ramen with me, Hinata?” 

She beamed at him, a slight flush on her face. “I’d love to.”

  
  



	2. The New Hokage

**Chapter 2: The New Hokage**

They walked to Ichiraku, where Teuchi was waiting with a smile on his face. 

“Oh! Two of you guys, huh?” he said. _Interesting_ , he thought.

Naruto grinned. “And we’re really hungry! Two miso ramen with chiarshiu, please!”

Hinata found space for both of them as she sat on the seat closest to the wall. Her heart was pounding, but she was calm. It wasn’t a date. They were just two people having lunch together. It happened all the time.

Her stomach growled just as she was reaching for the chopsticks. He turned to her and laughed as _her_ face turned pink. And here she thought she was doing a good job trying to keep her blushes in check around him. Well, it couldn’t be helped. These things happen, especially if you skipped breakfast.

“Hinata! You, too!” he said gleefully.

“I didn’t have breakfast,” was all she said.

“All right! Two miso ramen with extra chiarshiu,” the ramen shop owner called out as he set their bowls in front of them.

“But we didn’t order extra,” Naruto started to say as Hinata shook her head as well.

“It’s on the house!” Teuchi said.

“Thanks, Old Man!” Naruto beamed and took a sip of his broth. Beside him, Hinata did the same. Naruto then slurped noisily at his noodles.

With a twinkle in his eyes, Teuchi continued, “Well, since you guys are on a date, I figured I’d give it to you for free!” 

Naruto swallowed his noodles suddenly, which got stuck in his throat, choking him. Hinata pounded as hard as she could on his back, even as she fought her amusement. He gasped as the noodles finally dislodged from his throat. 

He sighed with relief then glared at Teuchi. “The hell! We’re not on a date!” 

Teuchi didn’t say anything, only raised his eyebrows and looked at him with an expressive face: _Then you’re an idiot._

Hinata continued eating her noodles even as she glanced sideways at Naruto. He was still grumbling under his breath. “Date! Hah! Wait, that means _I_ would pay? I have to check my wallet if I do. Is it even a date, though?”

She shook her head slightly, ruefully. She looked up to see Teuchi’s sympathetic eyes on her and she grinned back at him. _Nice try, but thanks anyway,_ her eyes said.

Instead, she asked him about the store. “You were finally able to get the back of the shop finished? I also see three new stools. That’s great! That means business is getting better.”

Teuchi nodded. “Yeah, it’s doing really good. I’m glad things are getting back to normal now.”

She paused for a moment. “It’s been almost, what? A year since Konoha got destroyed? And after that, we had war preparations… So eighteen months since we’ve had to start over then.”

Teuchi said, “It’s good to see that the village is slowly looking like the Konoha from before.”

“Yeah, Father stopped by to see the Hokage this morning and he’d said something about not putting his face on the monument so that we can all focus on getting Konoha back on its feet again.” She smiled wryly. “Of course, Father didn’t like that—it wouldn’t be _traditional_.”

“Huh?” Naruto paused his chewing. “I don’t like it either. He’s Hokage now, he _should_ have his face on the wall.”

“Me, too,” Hinata said. “But I think Kakashi-sama’s saying just for _now_. Maybe later, when things are better, we’ll have the luxury of carving his face on the Hokage Monument. I think he’d rather the village masons work on getting the buildings up and the people safe.”

Naruto frowned. “Yeah, but I think a lot of people would feel more hopeful, too, if they see Kakashi-sensei’s face looking out over Konoha, don’t you think? He’s pretty inspirational.”

She smiled. “No doubt.”

He kept on chewing until he drained the last of his soup. “Well, I’m going to have a talk with him about it later.”

Hinata finished hers and stood up. “Thanks for the food!” she told Teuchi. She turned smiling eyes at Naruto. “I’ll get this, Naruto,” she said as she pulled out her wallet.

Naruto started to protest, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm. “I don’t see any pockets on your hospital clothes.”

Teuchi laughed. Naruto turned a violent shade of red.

* * *

  
In the end, it had taken Naruto three days to finally track down Kakashi. After his lunch with Hinata, he’d gone back to his hospital bed and taken a nap. Hours later, he’d been rudely shaken out of his sleep by Sakura, who’d come to find him for his rehabilitation. She’d dragged him to see the specialist.

Tsunade hadn't been joking when she’d warned him about the work. It hurt. A lot. Initially, during the operation, he’d only felt a stinging pain. But after actually moving his arms to practice combat moves and using his fingers to create seals, he felt more burning within his nerves. He dreaded the rest of the training sessions.

“No more!” he gasped on that third day. He was on the floor, on his hands and knees after the jonin he’d been training with landed a blow that got him exactly on that seam where his real flesh met synthetic Hashirama cells. 

“Sorry, Naruto!” the man came up to him. “I didn’t mean to hit you right there. I was aiming for your shoulder.”

Naruto was still panting, trying to catch his breath from the pain. He nodded.

The jonin looked at the clock. “It’s almost time to finish anyway. You want to call it a day?”

Naruto smiled briefly. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“See you tomorrow, then.”

After that, Naruto changed out of his training gear into a t-shirt and his favorite orange sweats. He was walking home when he caught a flash of silver on a grassy knoll at the park. 

Kakashi was laying on the grass, his arms folded behind him, hands behind his head. His face was turned upward into the sky, dark eyes closed above the mask he usually wore.

Naruto shook his head with a smile. You have to admire a man so supremely confident in his abilities that he could leave himself so open and completely defenseless to sleep on the ground. But Konoha was a safe, peaceful, village. There was really no need to worry about being attacked. Still, it might be worth a try to test it out.

With a grin, Naruto picked up a small pebble and hurled it at Kakashi. As expected, the Hokage didn’t even react in surprise. With a smooth movement, his arm came up and caught the pebble before it hit him on the stomach.

“Does that mean my break is over then?” he asked mildly. Kakashi didn’t move his head. He just stared at the small rock he’d caught in his hand and rolled it slowly, the other hand still pillowing his head. 

Naruto came up to him and looked down into the Hokage’s face, blocking the sunlight with his head. “What’s this I hear about you not wanting to carve your head on the Hokage Monument?”

He then laid down next to his former teacher.

Kakashi hurled the pebble at Naruto, who also caught it and threw it away. They were both now looking up at the clouds. 

“It’s being delayed. I want the masons to work on the homes and buildings around Konoha first. Those are more important. We still have the walls to shore up. They’re still not as strong as before. Pain’s attack left them still crumbled, you know.”

“I guess,” Naruto said. “I get it. But I still think you should still have them chipping away at the mountain.”

Kakashi laughed softly. “They’re planning on doing that anyway. I’ve ordered them to prioritize Konoha’s rebuilding first—and they have. But the masons are taking turns to work on the face during their off-hours. I only found out about it from Shikamaru.”

Naruto smiled. “I’m glad, then. You deserve it.”

They were silent for a while.

“Kakashi-sensei?” 

He would never admit it to anyone, but Kakashi preferred to be called by that title more than _Hokage-sama._ Especially by this particular student of his. And especially when he heard the sudden childlike uncertainty creeping into Naruto’s voice.

“Hmm?” he said.

There was a sigh. 

“Does it ever get better?”

Kakashi finally turned his head to look at his former student. Naruto’s face was looking up towards the sky, but his eyes were closed. There was a sheen of moisture right where his lids met. He was breathing deeply. 

The Hokage turned back to the white clouds above them.

“I have to be honest, Naruto,” he said, genuine regret coloring his words. “I don’t know.” 

Grief was never easy, and surviving while others didn’t, was always hard. 

Kakashi continued, “It always depends on the person. For some it lingers and affects them negatively, for others it helps them become better. What do you think?”

Naruto sighed, his eyes still squeezed shut, then said, “I don’t think it will ever go away. There’s a lot of guilt, remorse in me because I’m alive, and _they’re_ not. But I’m happy to be still breathing.”

Kakashi was silent. 

Then Naruto said in a voice that reminded the Hokage of the orange-jumpsuited boy he’d once been: “I just wanted to save everyone.”

 _Yes, we all do_ , Kakashi thought with a pang in his heart. 

“You _can’t_ , Naruto. It’s impossible,” Kakashi said gently, remembering all the people who’d left him behind: his father, Asuma, Minato, Rin, Obito. 

So damned many.

“That’s what being a ninja is all about. You do the best you can with the situation you’ve landed in. All you can do is remember them, keep them with you always, and just move on with your life. You know this better than anyone.”

Naruto nodded. “I know...but it still hurts. Sometimes, I think I’m okay, but then it hits suddenly and I feel like I’m drowning and I can’t breathe.”

Kakashi closed his eyes. 

Yes, it does. It _still_ does _._

Kakashi’s time had been an unending series of wars. He’d been at war since even before he could remember, always been in the thick of battle, always losing people he loved. Kill or be killed was a constant state of mind. It had hardened him because it was the only way to survive. He’d struggled to keep the memory of his fallen comrades in his heart to help him remember his humanity, to never forget why he still needed to fight.

But Naruto was different. Even as he’d fought evil, he’d never lost the enduring optimism that had been his strength for most of his young life. He would never be hardened.

And now, peace had finally come over Konoha, over the rest of the elemental villages. The shift from wartime to peace, though, was going to take some time to get used to. This was where the real work came in, dealing with the broken pieces of not only your life but everyone else’s. 

How do you explain that to somebody who’d already willingly taken upon himself the struggles, the pain of the world? Would he ever be ready to let go of that burden? This young boy, still not a man, aiming to be Hokage already knew how huge that responsibility was going to be. During the fight against Madara, he’d been willing to give up his life for everyone. 

It was enough to crush a man. 

But it didn’t have to be that way, not if Kakashi could help it. Naruto had a whole life waiting for him. 

“You drown, but people pull you up so you eventually come up for air again, right?” Kakashi said.

Naruto, still with his face up to the sky, opened his eyes, swiped a hand across and nodded. “Yeah.”

“That’s a good thing. That pain you feel will remind you of why you’re still alive. Each time you feel it, it’s an opportunity to be grateful, isn’t it? To all those people who’ve touched your life.”

Kakashi was still looking up at the clouds, but he hoped his words were piercing through to Naruto. He heard a sigh and a sniffle.

He continued, “Grief. Guilt. Relief. Remorse. It’s all there. You have the right to feel all of it because we’re human. But I just want you to remember that even with all of that, others have experienced it, too, and so it’s something we share with everyone—a bond with others to make you feel like you’re never really going to be alone. People will always be there to help you, so you don’t always have to carry your burdens all by yourself.”

Naruto laughed suddenly, the sound carrying through the air.

Trust Kakashi-sensei to make everything so clear. 

He’d known his former teacher and captain would be able to understand his feelings. After all, Kakashi had been a child warrior, too. They’d both been dealing with death since they were young. He was the perfect person to discuss his feeling of guilt and the weight of the burden he’d had to shoulder during the last year. They were cut from the same cloth, after all. They’d both been thrust into positions they’d never wanted, but had met everyone’s expectations and accepted the responsibility without fail.

“Yeah, you’re right. Itachi said something similar, too, a long time ago.”

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. _Itachi_. Of course. 

“Just remember this when you’re eventually Hokage, Naruto.”

Naruto laughed again, feeling better and finally at peace. His feelings were settling down. Yes, he would carry the memory of everyone in his heart. It would give him strength. And when things got really bad, he would remember the ways that they had made an impact on his life. 

He looked at the impressive form of the new Hokage and smiled wider. That’s right. It wasn’t just about the friends and family he’d lost. There were still a lot of people he loved left in his life, and one of them was right next to him, and hopefully, will still be there for a long time. He felt the mischief rising back in him.

He said to Kakashi, “You know, when I’m Hokage, I’m just glad that my face is going to be next to yours on the monument.”

Kakashi finally looked at Naruto and he answered with a glimmer in his eyes. “Why do you assume it’s automatically going to be yours next to mine?”

Naruto sputtered in surprise.

“It could be Shikamaru’s face first. Or,” Kakashi gasped dramatically, “ _Kiba’s_.”

“No way!” Naruto bounced up with an angry huff. “No, never, no, no, no! It’s my face that’s going right up there!”

Kakashi laughed. “Yeah, yeah.” 

He, too, stood up. “Don’t be hasty now. I just got the position, you know.”

Naruto glared at him. “Hmph!”

Kakashi turned and started walking away. “I guess I have to go back to work. Tsunade-sama’s been helping me get used to things, but all she does is drink and give orders. Must be nice not to be Hokage anymore.”

He stopped and looked back at Naruto. “Sasuke’s heading out tomorrow, you know.”

Naruto nodded. “I know.”

Kakashi smiled. “Okay then. See you around, hero.” 

He turned and made his way back to the Hokage’s tower.

**Author’s Notes:**

I love Kakashi...He can be so wise but be such a troll, sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just letting you guys know that the story is finished. I’m just doing the final edits. I ended up with 28 chapters plus an epilogue and some of the chapters are long. I don’t want to string you guys along for 29 weeks, but at the same time, I also don’t want to overwhelm you with too much by posting everything in one shot. I'll stop where there's a natural pause in the story and will frequently update every few days. I also need lots of time to upload things on AO3 because there’s a lot of formatting to fix. Thanks for your understanding. 


	3. Two Conversations

**Chapter 3: Two Conversations**

_Sakura_ , _I'm sorry,_ he thought, walking away from her and from Konoha. He'd said his good-bye to her a few minutes ago and he was determined not to look back. The guilt weighed at him, but he couldn't stay. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but he needed time. Time to think, time to process, but mostly, time to heal.

Sasuke felt another prickle in his consciousness. He smiled briefly. "What is it?"

Naruto straightened up from the tree he'd been leaning on and approached his friend.

"I'm returning this to you," he said, handing him the forehead protector he'd kept for years.

Sunlight flashed over metal, illuminating the scratch that bisected the symbol representing Konoha.

Sasuke accepted it. "I'll take it now, but I'll give it back when we finally have our final match."

Naruto didn't smile, just continued looking at him.

Sasuke kept his gaze locked on Naruto's, almost blinded by the warmth that always seemed to surround him. The aura around Naruto was bright, warmer than the sun. Must be the rinnegan causing all these hallucinations, he thought with sudden amusement. He was getting too sentimental.

They continued looking at each other. Rivals, friends, saviors, brothers. No words could adequately describe what the two of them shared. It was beyond friendship. Sasuke's feelings were still a jumble inside him. In some ways, Naruto was dumb beyond belief, but he was wiser in the things that really mattered the most.

Sasuke turned and without another word, started walking down the path that would take him away from Konoha.

"Don't forget us," Naruto said to Sasuke's retreating back.

As if he ever could.

* * *

Naruto continued to watch Sasuke walk until he finally left his line of sight. He sighed. As always, Sasuke was so closed-mouthed, so cool, and so difficult to get along with. But he would be back—when he was ready. Maybe then, they could finally talk about things. But during their last battle, he'd understood a lot about what Sasuke was feeling. He hoped that Sasuke had also understood how _he_ felt about the world.

_We are shinobi. We endure. We move on._

Sasuke would find his own path and it would be different than Naruto's. He didn't mind. They were two different people, but he was counting on Sasuke to be back in his life someday, and he hoped it would really be for good.

He turned and walked back to Konoha, still thinking about Sasuke. He was going to be fine, but he still worried about his friend. He didn't want him to feel lonely, especially if he was going to be all by himself and away from Konoha.

Naruto looked around him. People were still cleaning up the rubble from Pain's attack, but the buildings were looking better. All the war-time shelters and makeshift storage huts that had housed weapons were being dismantled, making room for homes and shops. The storefront windows were sparkling with newly attached glass. Signposts over restaurants and roads were being repainted.

_Konoha can be rebuilt._

He looked up to the stone monument, at the face of the Fourth Hokage.

Yeah, Dad. Naruto grinned. It sure can.

He heard bells jingle, a door open, and a voice calling out, "Thanks, Ino!"

He turned towards the voice and saw Hinata walking out of Ino's store with a bunch of sunflowers in her arms.

"Hinata!" he called out and ran towards her.

* * *

Hinata turned around and saw Naruto heading for her. She smiled at him.

"Naruto, hey," she said as he stopped in front of her.

He grinned. Her heart skipped a beat as usual, but she ignored it. It was getting easier to control her reactions around him.

"Are you going to visit Neji again today?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm stopping by for a few minutes."

He looked at her hesitantly. "Do you mind if I tag along?"

She was surprised but she smiled at him again. "Sure, Naruto. I think he'd like that."

"Thanks, Hinata." He pointed to the flowers. "I can hold those for you if you want."

"Thank you," she said softly as she handed them to him. _How sweet._

"Do you go visit him every day?" Naruto asked.

Hinata shook her head even as she marveled at how normal she was acting around him. Recently, she could actually hold a normal conversation without falling to pieces. This was good.

"Not every day, but whenever I can. I only have a few minutes today. I have to go back home right after. There's a clan meeting. Then after that, I'm heading to the hospital to help out. They need byakugan users."

He looked at her, squinting. "You've been busy."

"Yes," she said. "It helps. Otherwise, I'd be moping around and just let things overwhelm me, you know?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I know exactly what you mean."

She glanced at his prosthetic arm. "How's the training coming along?"

He gave a snort full of feeling. "Painful!" He wiggled his fingers and showed it to her. "But it's getting better. My movements are getting smoother so I guess it means that the nerves are healing pretty quickly. There's only a slight hesitation now, so when I make my seals, it's easier to do them."

"I'm glad," she said. She truly was. When she'd seen him after his fight with Sasuke, she'd worried that the loss of his arm would be one more thing he'd have to deal with in a life already filled with so many obstacles.

They reached the cemetery and both of them prayed over Neji's grave after Hinata lit candles and laid the sunflowers over the stone bearing his name.

She sat down with her knees up, patted the seat next to her, and looked up at him. "I'm staying for a couple more minutes. I like it here. It's quiet and I can think about a lot of things. You're welcome to join me if you want."

He hastily sat down next to her, crossed-legged, his right arm and leg brushing up against hers, invading her space.

She smiled inwardly. _A little too close, but I'm not going to complain._

"So what kinds of things do you think about?" he asked.

A surprised laugh escaped her before she could stop it. "Where do I start?!" she said.

He smiled at her then glanced back at Neji's grave. "I can guess why you're here all the time. I heard you the last time you were talking to him. How are things with your family?"

"It's a mess!" she said with a chuckle. "But we're working on it. Right now, we're all trying to decide what to do with Hanabi. She's the heir and future clan leader. There's no question about it, but she's still too young. My father had wanted Neji to be the heir to try to change things, but a lot of the more traditional Hyuugas didn't like the idea. They're still clinging to the thought of keeping the Main and Side branches distinct."

She looked at the gravestone. "With Neji's death, though, more people think that there's no need for it anymore. My father and I are working on the few really hardcore believers who want to keep the system. They're also the ones pushing for me to be the heir, to take over Hanabi's role because I'm older."

This time, she sighed.

Naruto looked at her. "Well, do you want to?"

"God, no!" she said with horror. "But I might have to. We're working on a compromise. I'll be the temporary representative while Hanabi's still underage. When she turns seventeen in a few years, I'll gladly turn it over to her. I really don't want to do it, but at least I can learn as much as I can about the clan's business and help her out when it becomes her time."

Naruto kept quiet so she glanced at him. There was a thoughtful look on his face. He finally noticed her silence and he grinned at her in embarrassment. "I was listening! I heard you. I wasn't spacing out, I promise. I was just thinking that even though you sound like this whole clan business is a pain in the ass, you still love your family."

She nodded. "Yes, I do."

She heard him mumble under his breath, "Must be nice."

Hinata's heart twisted. She reacted without thinking and laid a hand over his. "It _is_. I'm not complaining."

He looked into her face and then squeezed hers back. They were silent for a minute but he broke it when he asked about her father.

"Oh, he's feeling a lot of guilt. He thinks it's his fault that he lost his brother, and now his nephew. But I'm trying to get him to see that it had nothing to do with him. Both Neji and his father _chose_ their destinies and it was that freedom that made their deaths so meaningful."

There was a look of understanding on his face. "Yeah."

They both stared at his grave, remembered her cousin's parting words.

_It's not just one life you hold in your hands._

She looked down and saw that they were still holding hands. She tried to pull hers back. He looked at her in surprise, then down at their hands and he said, "Sorry!"

She smiled then wrapped her arms around her knees, happy, but inwardly shaking. _Wow, look at that,_ she thought. _We held hands and I'm still conscious. This is really good. It's progress._

"Hey, what happened to your stuttering? You don't blush anymore like you used to. And you're not fainting as much, too!" he suddenly said.

She gave a merry peal of laughter. As usual, no tact.

"I think it died with Neji," she said.

Naruto's eyes turned serious.

She laughed again, apologetically. "Sorry, Naruto! I'm not trying to be flippant with Neji's death, but I think it's the truth."

She didn't tell him that Neji's death had made her feel like she needed to live her life. That she had a choice, that choice was a freeing thing. And the one thing she'd wanted to be was to become stronger in her life and become more confident in herself—but especially when it came to Naruto and her feelings for him. She'd made the conscious effort to act more natural around him.

Instead, she said, "We just went through a war. I think it changes everybody, you know. We don't go through something like that and be completely the same as before."

"Yeah, I get what you mean. I'm the same but not, too."

She nodded. "The core of us is the same. We've just added more to it."

"When you put it that way, it makes sense."

Still smiling, she said, "So you noticed the blushing and the fainting, then?"

He turned beet red. "Kind of. Or Kiba doesn't complain about it to me as much anymore."

Hinata humphed. "Oh, Kiba!"

But Naruto had brought up the topic she wanted to discuss with him the most. She suddenly felt jittery. She'd dreaded this conversation ever since then, but she steeled her heart. She needed to ask him.

She brought her hands together in front of her, formed a triangle, pressed her index fingers together, and looked at him. She stopped her nervous tick after only a couple of taps. He was staring off in the distance and she had the freedom to look at his profile, the whiskers on his right cheek, the spiky blond hair that never seemed to be tamed.

"Naruto," she said softly.

"Hm?" he asked as he turned his attention to her, piercing her with his blue eyes.

Oh, god. She caught her breath. No, she wasn't going to faint or lose her nerve. She'd been deadly serious when she'd told him that Neji's death had freed her of most of her shyness around him. But she was still in love with him and that feeling of breathlessness was never going to go away.

Heart pounding, she asked, "Do you remember when I told you I loved you during your fight with Pain?"

He looked startled, but he said, "I heard you."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "So you _did_ hear me then?"

He paused and then answered her with, "Yeah. But I don't think I knew the full impact of what you said."

"Well, you _were_ kind of preoccupied at the time," she said drily.

He laughed.

She continued, "I realize the timing of my confession was bad, but it's the truth. It's out there and I said it. I'm proud of myself for having the courage to say it to you then."

He was quiet, but he was looking at her face. She took another deep breath. "You never said anything about it, so I just wanted to know what you think. How do you feel about me?"

He was frowning. "I'm not sure. I don't really know anything about this love business. Plus, I haven't had much time to think about it. After Pain, there was Sasuke killing Itachi, then him going rogue and attacking the five kage, and then the war. To be honest, there were a lot of other things weighing on my mind."

She nodded. "Yeah, I know."

His face was still crinkled, eyebrows drawn down in puzzlement. "And you know what, Sakura told me she loved me, too, about a month after you did, when I went north to the land of the Samurai."

Hinata's eyebrows rose up in surprise. That one shocked her. Sakura hadn't told her anything about that. This was getting more complicated than she had anticipated.

He cocked his head to the side after a moment and looked at her, his face open. "I think she was lying at the time, though. For some reason, I didn't believe her right away when she said it."

Her heart and her mind was a tangle of confused thoughts, but she was determined to continue. "Was it a lie, though? Have you talked to her about it?"

He shook his head. "No."

She smiled briefly. "So then feel it out. How do you feel about _her_ , too? You've had two girls confess their love to you and you've remained silent about it all this time."

He looked guilty. "I'm sorry."

She was startled. "Oh, no! Don't be! I just wanted to know what you think about it. I'm not expecting an immediate declaration of love from you."

He looked at her, confusion on his face. "Uh, thanks?"

She laughed nervously, apologetically. "I'm sorry Naruto. I'm messing this up, aren't I? I just can't seem to get the timing right."

Her smile was kind as she saw the genuine bewilderment in his expression. "You should feel it out. I don't know about Sakura and how she really feels about you, but I meant what I said. Take your time. Think about how you feel about _all_ of it?"

He was still looking at her with troubled eyes. It suddenly made her nervous and anxious again. _Shoot._

She wanted to run away, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the conversation. At least she had a genuine excuse.

She stood up abruptly. "Okay. Don't give me an answer right now. You need to think about it. I'm really sorry I sprung this on you so suddenly. I have to go back home. The meeting's going to start soon."

And she was off, ignoring his startled, "Hinata!"


	4. This Love Business

**Chapter 4: This Love Business**

Naruto watched her go but he didn't race after her. She might have lost her blushes and her fainting spells, but she still could run, _fast_ , away from him, he thought with a grin. She really _was_ weird.

_How do you feel about me?_

He sighed. He suddenly had a headache. He looked at Neji's grave one last time and started walking back to his apartment.

Hinata was right. He needed to give her confession and his feelings a chance to settle. When she'd admonished him gently on his silence, he'd felt guilty for not saying anything back, but he felt he was being honest when he'd told her he didn't really know how he felt.

Truthfully, Naruto hadn't really given her admission any thought. He'd heard it at the time, but he'd been consumed with rage during his fight with Pain that there hadn't been any room for her love to enter his mind.

Then after that, he'd been too caught up with the death of Jiraiya, his conversation with Nagato, Sasuke killing his brother, and then dealing with Kurama when the alliance had tried to hide him at Kumo, meeting his mother through her chakra, and finally the war.

He'd been on an emotional rollercoaster for the past year and a half, he thought to himself, a little piqued. But she'd understood and hadn't pushed him at all.

He reached his apartment and entered. He plopped down on his bed.

But she was right, though. He should think about it. There was no more excuse to avoid it. There was peace so he wasn't going to be able to claim he was busy. He sighed and put his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling of his room.

_Sakura_. Did he love her? Definitely as a teammate, a friend. And as a sister, maybe, if he'd ever had a sister. The way they bickered so much, he felt like there was no way lovers would act that way.

He'd never really bought _her_ declaration of love. He'd found the timing suspicious. Her confession had been right after his battle with Pain, when everyone had suddenly changed their feelings for him after he'd saved the village from Nagato's attack. He'd been a mess with his emotions, the way everyone in Konoha had turned from hating him for being the Kyuubi vessel to sudden admiration and hero-worship. He couldn't believe that people were so fickle in their feelings for him. And to have Sakura, who'd been so obvious in her affection for Sasuke suddenly say she loved him had added to his overall confusion.

And afterward, Sai had pretty much confirmed to him that it had only been a ruse, a lie. Sai told him about egging Sakura on in both of their efforts to try to stop him from rushing to save Sasuke.

Naruto had always known that Sakura's feelings for Sasuke had been real. He knew deep down that she had never really loved him when she'd made that confession. There was no way she could have changed her feelings that quickly. He knew her personality well enough.

Meanwhile, his feelings for her had long ago flamed out. He'd known it when he'd just brought Grandma Tsunade back to Konoha with Jiraiya. At the hospital, after Tsunade had healed Sasuke, Sakura had hugged him first and ignored Naruto's presence, had said no word of thanks to him. He'd been hurt, but his feelings of relief that Sasuke was okay had outweighed any of that.

When she'd asked him to make that promise to save Sasuke and bring him back from Orochimaru, he'd known even then. Sakura loved Sasuke. She was never going to love him the way he'd loved her with all his young, childish heart.

His love for Sakura had been a shy blossoming of youthful first love, when he'd first figured out what liking a girl meant. It wasn't the same thing you feel when you're older, though. Now that he was seventeen, had even heard his mother talk about love, it seemed like his love for Sakura was just a childish crush. More mature love was different...

Wasn't it?

He wasn't sure, but he was certain that Sakura's confession last year hadn't even pierced his heart. Hinata's, though, made him pause. Again, her declaration had come right when he'd been feeling really vulnerable. His grief for Jiraiya had been so hard to bear.

He just wasn't sure.

Did he love her back? He thought about it. He valued her friendship, that was for sure. She'd always been weird and strange, but in all the conversations they'd shared, he found that she had a quiet way of making him feel special and proud to be who he was, to never feel ashamed for his past.

He recalled the fight he'd had during the final round of their chuunin exams, the way her words had given him the strength to face Neji when he'd lost his confidence in himself. She'd called him a proud failure, then.

He blushed as he remembered. After that conversion, he'd called her weird—straight to her face. He squirmed. He'd been such a bumbling, gawky little brat when he was younger. Of course, he still _thought_ it now that he was older, but at least he didn't say it directly to her face anymore.

Naruto thought of the time he'd almost fallen into despair during the war, when Obito had taunted him after Neji's death. Even as her heart must have been breaking to see her cousin's lifeless body, she'd seen _him_ in turmoil and had kept her cool.

She had gently slapped him on his cheek then, and it had snapped him out of his emotional distress. She'd reminded him about his nindo, his credo.

_You don't go back on your word._

And that had made all the difference in the world. He'd held her hand and gathered strength from hers and from her belief in him. Her presence had given him the courage to continue on and to fight against the toughest opponent he'd ever had to face.

But did he _love_ her, though?

He was grateful. Grateful for her presence in his life.

Is that love?

He thought back again to his mother, recalling his conversation with her when he'd been wrapped in her chakra. When she'd told him about falling in love with his father, she'd said Minato was the man of her dreams.

Was Hinata the woman of his dreams? What does that even _mean_ , anyway?

Kushina had said his father had changed her. She'd hated her red hair before but Minato had made her love it instead.

Did Hinata make him feel changed?

No, not really. He still felt like the same Naruto that he was.

He sighed then ran his fingers roughly through his hair.

"Argh!"

His head was hurting again. This was so hard.

What was love anyway?

Coming up with an answer was harder than he thought. All he had were more questions. He was going to have to see her again. He was still confused.

* * *

The next day, Naruto was determined to get down to the bottom of figuring out this business of love. It was simple, really. He'd just ask the smartest person he knew.

"The hell?" Shikamaru said. "Man, don't bother me about pain in the ass stuff like that. I'm busy. In case you haven't noticed, I'm the Hokage's personal assistant. I'm _working_. I don't have time for this right now. And why aren't you training with your arm?"

Shikamaru glared at him, muttered, "Pain in the ass!" one more time and pushed him out of the way.

Naruto scowled at him but he caught sight of Iruka-sensei entering Ichiraku and he brightened. A teacher! Of course! _He_ would know. Plus, maybe he can get his former teacher to treat him to a bowl of ramen.

"Iruka-sensei!" he called out. "Can you treat me to ramen?"

Iruka, with a small frown on his face, turned at the sound of Naruto's voice. "Naruto! You're old enough to buy your own bowl!" he said, but he held up the curtain above the shop anyway and waited until Naruto had sat down on one of the stools.

Iruka ordered his after Naruto placed his usual order with Teuchi. They talked about Naruto's arm and the rebuilding of the Ninja Academy where Iruka still worked. Two steaming bowls of noodles came out a few minutes later.

Naruto ate with gusto, sighing after every few swallows and then he suddenly remembered what he wanted to talk to his former teacher about.

"Iruka-sensei, can you tell me about love?"

Iruka choked on his noodles. Teuchi dropped the pan he was holding with a loud clang as it hit the stove.

At the sound, Naruto looked up with a startled look, but he was still focused on the conversation. This was important. He turned his attention back to Iruka as he ate another mouthful of noodles.

"Love?" Iruka said with a squeak. He cleared his throat. "You mean romantic feelings between people? Romance, relationships, affairs of the heart? That kind of stuff?"

Teuchi stopped cooking. He grabbed a stool, dragged it close to the entrance and positioned himself to block anyone from coming into the shop. Sure enough, a customer tried to get in. As soon as he saw the foot stepping into the restaurant, Teuchi said, "We're _closed_ ," in a voice that brooked no opposition. The foot turned around and left.

He turned his attention back to this fascinating conversation. He peered at Iruka, who was still floundering for a response while Naruto blithely continued to eat his ramen.

"Well? Tell me all you know, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka was pink as he scratched his temple. "Er, I'm not really the person to ask about these things…"

Naruto stopped eating and looked at him with a frown, noodles dangling from his lips. He slurped then said, "Huh? You're a teacher. You're supposed to know about these things, right?"

Iruka looked pained. "Right...yeah, well...um...so, Naruto...you see...the thing is…"

He was desperately grasping at straws trying to find a way to stall. And in a moment of inspiration, his mind latched onto an anchor. He said, "Didn't you ever talk about this stuff with Jiraiya-sama? He was kind of an expert on these things."

"Ero-sennin?!" Naruto repeated in disbelief. "No, we never talked about it at all. Not about _love_. When we weren't busy training, he was always running off to do research for his books."

Naruto swallowed the noodles that were in his mouth. He took another sip of his miso soup then continued, "It's weird, too, after one of his research trips, he'd always ask me about what I'd think of _this_ word or _that_ word, like mounds, peaks, petals, honey. I didn't realize he was the type of person who loved nature so much."

Teuchi made a strangled sound in his throat, but Naruto didn't hear it.

_Jiraiya-sama! Why the hell did you not educate this boy?!_ Iruka thought in despair.

He gulped and wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead protector. This was so sudden. He was not ready for this conversation, especially with Naruto. Maybe, there was some kind of resource he could direct the boy to. What about…?

Naruto was still busy eating. Iruka turned to Teuchi and whispered, "Do you think he's old enough to read _Icha Icha Tactics_? He could learn about love that way."

Teuchi blanched. He whispered back, "Yes, he's old enough, but don't let him read that book! It'll give him _weird_ ideas! Think about the poor girl!"

Beside him, Naruto was losing his patience. "You know, Iruka-sensei, you're not being helpful at all. I thought you could help me out with this since you're a teacher and everything. Maybe I should ask somebody else? I think I'll go talk to Kakashi-sensei."

" _NO!"_ came the simultaneous, horrified cries of Iruka and Teuchi.

Naruto was startled. He folded his arms. "Well, you guys aren't being helpful at all! I'm deadly serious about this stuff. I just don't know about love and romance. How would I know if I'm in love with a girl?"

Iruka sighed. "To be honest, Naruto, I don't really know, either. I've never been in love, but…" He looked at Teuchi.

Teuchi jerked back in surprise to find himself the focus of two inquisitive eyes.

Naruto's face was eager. "That's right! Old Man Teuchi! _You_ were married. What does it mean to be in love?"

Teuchi gulped. "Er, I don't know how to explain it, either, Naruto. You just kind of _know_ , you know."

Naruto slumped back in his seat. "Gah! You guys are _so_ not helpful!"

"Sorry, Naruto," Iruka said. "But I'll treat you this time to ramen."


	5. Clarity

**Chapter 5: Clarity**

Hinata had broken one of the cardinal rules of being a shinobi: she had followed a regular pattern over several days and had never varied her movements, making her an easy target for the enemy.

She felt him walking towards her as she sat in front of Neji's grave. She smiled to herself. Probably shouldn't think of Naruto as the enemy. But she was surprised he'd tracked her down this quickly. She'd thought that he would take longer to sort things out.

"Naruto?" she asked, glancing back to see him sauntering up to her, his hands in his pockets. He looked serious. _Oh, no_.

"Yo, Hinata," he said then sat down next to her. Again, his elbows and knees invaded her space but Hinata kept silent even as his arm brushed hers.

"I stopped by your home and your family said you were heading this way so I came to see you and to continue our conversation the other day. I've had time to think."

She smiled softly. "And?" she prompted.

"Did you really mean what you said?" Naruto said.

"That I love you? Yes, I do."

He sighed, then looked down at the ground for a few minutes. When he finally looked up, he turned, met her gaze and started rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, to be honest, I still don't know how to take it."

He then looked down again.

"Oh," was all she said, looking at his hair, his bowed head. She waited for him to continue, to give voice to the feelings in him so she could understand where she stood in his life.

He looked up into her eyes, and she was determined not to break contact even as she heard him say, "I think I love you but not in the way you want me to? It's the same love I feel for Iruka-sensei, Neji, for Sakura, and for Shikamaru—for everyone, for the village."

And Hinata knew then that he wasn't ready to accept her love. Strangely, though, she wasn't heartbroken about it. He wasn't in the right frame of mind to understand it. She knew first hand what it was like to be forced to deal with things when you weren't prepared: the rejection from her family, the death of her mother, the death of her cousin.

Besides, if she were being honest, neither was _she_ ready. She didn't know either if she was willing to take their relationship to the next level. She'd only wanted to know how he felt about her and now she knew. He felt the same way about her as he felt about everyone. That was something, at least.

She paused, taking stock of her feelings. In her heart, she was calm. Hinata was fine with the way things were now. Besides, she had other more pressing things to worry about, herself. Neji's death had forced her to deal with the clan and the future of the Hyuugas. They were pushing for her to take on a bigger part in the running of the business.

But she suddenly felt free, lighter than she'd felt in months, unburdened by letting go of her expectations from Naruto.

She beamed at him then, startling him. But she didn't care. She was finally able to feel acceptance, and it prompted her to be honest. "Naruto, can you forgive me? I think I was being selfish that time I made my confession of love. I just wanted to air out my feelings because I thought it was my last chance to be brave before I died. I didn't expect to survive, you know."

She gave him another look from under her lashes. "There was no way I could win against someone like Pain. I only wanted to give you a chance to escape. _You_ were the bigger picture; _you_ needed to be saved. We needed to protect you from Akatsuki, and if I could help in some way, I wanted to do what I could."

"Hinata!" Naruto looked shocked. "You knew you were going to die? And you jumped in, anyway?!" he said, almost screaming. He tore at his hair, his eyes frowning fiercely at her.

_I guess he didn't hear that part of her confession, then. The part where she said she wasn't scared of dying,_ she thought with amusement.

But the expression on his face made her heart skip a beat. She smiled again. "Why so shocked? You did the same thing. You _always_ do the same thing. And I think that's how Neji felt, I'm sure, when we were on the battlefield, when he jumped out to save us."

And that made him suddenly deflate. He sighed then nodded. "We're shinobi."

She looked at him, her gaze earnest. "We never go back on our word."

She suddenly grinned at a thought that had just popped into her head. "It's funny, isn't it? Neji almost tried to kill me during the chuunin exams, but he changed and became my best friend."

"That's because you're too kind, Hinata!"

"Me?!" She said with a laugh. "You're one to talk. It was because of _you_ that he was able to change."

_And how I was able to change, too,_ she silently added.

He laughed as well. "I guess."

They were quiet for a while until Naruto said, "This still doesn't clear up anything, does it? I'm not sure I love you the way you want me to, Hinata. I just don't know."

He shrugged and shook his head.

Her smile became wistful. It was clear for her, but he was still confused. Hinata then remembered the freeing power of having a choice. She decided that she could help him by easing the pressure he obviously felt. She didn't want her love to be another burden, another weight on his shoulders to bear. She wanted it to be _his_ choice to make, for him to _choose_ her, when he was finally able to understand and feel love.

And because she was who she was, Hinata said, "How about we call my confession a gift? A _gift_ , something you can do whatever you want with."

"Wait! You're taking it back?"

"No," she shook her head. "I don't go back on my word, remember? But I'm changing the meaning of it. I still love you, and I meant what I said at the time. It also means thank you for all that you've done—from a friend. I'm not sure if anybody's said it to you? Have you heard anybody say it?"

His face was clearing up, light suddenly dawning as her words reached him.

"Thank you? From a _friend_. Nobody's really said anything. Not in so many words, but maybe a gesture from Sasuke. And Sakura, too. Kakashi-sensei. But people never tell me anything straight. They always say it in a roundabout way."

Hinata smiled gently again. "Well, I'll tell you straight. _Thank you_. For saving me, all of us. For being my friend."

In her heart, she made up her mind: _I will always love you. I'll wait when you're finally ready. And if you never love me back, I can love you from afar._

She said, "You don't have to worry about me. Really, I don't expect anything from you. And I especially don't want you to feel any guilt for the way I feel about you."

Hinata looked him straight in the eye as she said it, fighting her shyness and the awkwardness of the conversation because she knew this moment mattered to the both of them. He met her gaze just as solemnly, for once seeming to understand the gravity of the situation.

He blushed then was quiet. "Hinata, thank you. You really _are_ very kind."

This time, _she_ blushed, and they both laughed self-consciously, but the air around them felt buoyant, free from any guilt or heartache. They sat in silence, enjoying it for what it was, clarity: they were friends who were moving on.

Hinata suddenly realized that he'd mentioned Sasuke because _he_ was weighing on Naruto's mind. She turned to him and asked, "So Sasuke left the village? I heard from Sakura."

It prompted Naruto to talk, making her happy that it was enough of a distraction from their conversation about love.

"Yeah, he's such a jerk! Here we are, lots of things to do around Konoha and he's off on a trip all on his own. I wish he didn't feel the need to leave so soon. He could have stayed longer and then—"

His stomach growled.

"Damn it!" he yelled, looking down at his belly.

Hinata laughed. "Let me guess. Ichiraku?"

He grinned at her. "You have to let me pay you back for the last time."

"Deal!" she said, holding out her hand.

He stood, grabbed hers and pulled up. "All right! Let's go."

They looked down at Neji's grave, both saying _Thank you_ in their hearts.

Naruto and Hinata walked into the main square of the village, the sounds of hammering filled the air. Old wooden boards fell onto the ground and broke with a loud cracking sound. New boards quickly went up, a sheen of new varnish making the side of buildings glimmer with light. Up above, the imposing stone monument of the Hokages stood guard over the village. The sounds of metal hitting rock filled the air as the masons continued their slow, loving labor of etching the new Hokage's face onto the face of the mountain.

Konoha was getting back on its feet, settling into a time of hard-won peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think about their final conversation?
> 
> I just love Hinata's emotional intelligence.
> 
> Part Two coming soon.


	6. The Charge

**Part 2: Nineteen, Rebuilding the World**

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Charge**

Kakashi stood looking up at the stone faces of the former Hokages. Next to Lady Tsunade's, his own face looked back at him. It was finally completed. It had taken two years, but the masons had all done their part to make sure that it was finished as quickly as they could. He was grateful for all their efforts. The walls defending Konoha were finally secure, and no rubble was left in the village streets. In fact, the village was actually expanding.

He smiled ruefully as he found himself watching his feet slowly walk back and forth the stone floor. So, he thought, he was picking up the same habits of the previous Hokages—especially The Third's, who'd liked pacing out in the balcony above the tower, smoking his pipe and gazing at the faces on the mountain. And now the sixth one was doing the same thing, prowling outside, waiting for the arrival of his shinobi.

Kakashi didn't turn around, but he felt the presence that had slipped into the space.

"Don't wait on my account," he called out to Shikamaru, hovering by the entrance.

"I tried to be quiet. I figured you were still thinking," Shikamaru said.

"I was. But I'm done now."

"Should we use the office?"

Still with his back to Shikamaru, Kakashi said, "No, bring everyone here. Let's use this space. The office might get cramped."

Shikamaru grinned. "Sounds good."

They were there, ten members: Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Sakura, Sai, Lee, and Tenten.

Kakashi stood looking at them, older now, the weight of maturity settling into their faces. They'd been instrumental in the re-building of Konoha. He'd kept them busy, sending everyone within their lands to assess and take care of village business. Now that those missions were done, there were more things to do, more things to help secure the future.

"Thank you for coming," he said. He didn't know it, but he cut a very impressive figure as he faced all of them. His silver hair was cropped a little bit shorter than usual, the dark flak jacket he wore was austere, making him look more formidable. Behind him, the faces of the Hokages peered down at them, imposing, but also encouraging.

The young ninjas stood at attention, knowing what he was going to say was very important.

"I wanted to talk to you all before I speak with Naruto, that's why we're doing this separately. He's going to be handled with care."

There were a couple of smirks, some snorting, a loud guffaw, and then Hinata's gentle voice admonishing a brash character with "Kiba!"

Kakashi's eyes suddenly twinkled. He continued, "I've chosen all of you because I didn't miss the fact that during the war, when Naruto had been fighting the Ten-Tails Jinchuuriki, it was all of you that he called on for help."

They were surprised, but the mood immediately became solemn. They looked at each other and the memories came flooding back: Naruto cloaking them in his Nine-tails chakra, calling to them in his mind, asking for their help, giving each of them a rasengan to help pull out the tailed beasts that had been trapped within Obito's control.

Good, Kakashi thought as he looked at their expressions.

"When Naruto eventually becomes Hokage, he's going to need that help again. _You_ will help guide him on the path to secure the future of Konoha and its citizens."

Smiles greeted his declaration.

"Konoha has been rebuilt, but you all know that our world isn't only about this village. We're part of something bigger beyond our land."

Everyone nodded and Kakashi could see in their eyes a glimmer of understanding, of what he was going to ask them to do from here on out.

"We're now entering a new phase of our peace. Right now, our peace is still fragile. It's at a delicate stage. One keg, one spark can ruin it all and embroil us in another war. I don't need to remind you how horrible that would be."

Involuntarily, several glances strayed past the Hokage and turned in the direction of the Konoha cemetery.

Kakashi acknowledged it with a nod.

"I know it will be hard, but I am asking you to leave Konoha for months at a time. I want you to go out and travel, to visit the other villages to promote peace and build stronger relationships among our peoples. You'll learn that there is difficulty in trying to stay together when that one common cause is taken away. Yes, we all formed an Alliance to fight against a common enemy during the war, but what's keeping us all united now?"

The shinobi were quiet, letting his words settle in their minds and hearts. They were already imagining themselves setting foot away from their beloved home.

"I want you to find out that unifying reason."

He glanced briefly at Sakura and Sai, former members of Team Seven, who met his eyes, before continuing, "Sasuke has already started and it's been his way to ask for forgiveness from the people he's wronged. It's his way to atone for his sins. While you all don't have anything to atone for, I want you to continue dealing with the old hurts and grievances that simmer just below the surface of this peace. I leave you this responsibility."

He glanced at Shikamaru, who nodded back at him. "Shikamaru and I have already talked to the kages from the other villages. We're all firm in our belief that it's in everyone's best interest to mingle our people. As you travel to these far-flung places, others will also come to Konoha. This will also be part of your missions, to deal with different people bringing different ideas into our community."

The shinobi were quiet, understanding and accepting the responsibility that the Hokage had laid upon their feet.

Lee and Sai looked at each other, thinking of a possible problem that might come up. Sai raised a hand, "Sir?" he said.

"Ah, Sai," Kakashi said, a flicker of a smile in his eyes.

"I'm going to forestall your question. Don't worry about Konoha being left defenseless in your absence. No one will attack Konoha because _I_ am here," Kakashi said, his voice implacable, hard and unyielding, confidence oozing out of every syllable.

Sai smiled, Lee nodded.

"I am Hokage," Kakashi said simply. "My place is here and I will give my life to protect Konoha from enemy attack. You, my masterful shinobi, I am entrusting all of you to nourish the peace we've built so there won't ever be a _reason_ to defend her."

It was a duty they all took to heart.

And so they had left Konoha for various reasons and different stages, traveling to distant lands only to come back occasionally to The Leaf to appreciate their village for what it was: a safe haven, their home.

Kakashi, in his infinite wisdom, had known, of course. His past had been fought on grounds far away from his beloved home and he'd known that they would learn to appreciate the comforts of the familiar while being exposed to the unknown. They'd all learned what they could, helped secure the peace that they had all fought for, built connections that strengthened relationships among the different villagers and villages, and all while utilizing skills unique to themselves. But by far, the biggest effect of these missions had been on Naruto and Hinata.


	7. Convincing Naruto

**Chapter 7: Convincing Naruto**

Shikamaru sighed, already dreading what he knew was going to be a difficult discussion with Naruto. Though he understood his own role and the rest of his friends' during these missions, convincing Naruto to fulfill his responsibility might pose some problems.

They were in the office and Kakashi had his seat turned around. He was gazing out the window, waiting for Naruto to answer his summons.

Shikamaru asked the Hokage, "You really think we can convince him to do this? Is it even right to send him so far away from Konoha? He's been alone most of his life and we're asking him to leave the home he loves so much to travel abroad for a long time. He'll be away from friends, from the people he knows best, just to travel to places he knows nothing about. He'll be a stranger to everyone he meets. It's a lot to ask him, don't you think?"

Kakashi was quiet, his gaze still fixed outside.

"I still think it might be too early for him to go on these missions. He shouldered a lot during the war, don't you think he needs more of a break, Hokage-sama?"

"Shikamaru, you're worried for no reason. It's been two years! Plus, this is Naruto we're talking about," Kakashi finally said.

But he turned around and looked at Shikamaru. "I understand how you feel, but yes, he needs to go because he needs to see the world. The world isn't just Konoha. If he wants to become Hokage, he needs to understand what's it like to build up a lasting peace, to work with other people different from him. _This_ will be his most important mission."

Shikamaru nodded slowly, finally accepting Kakashi's decision.

The Hokage continued reassuring him. "Besides, he won't be completely alone all the time. He'll be with others because I want _everyone_ to see that the sacrifices we've all made was worth it. Your father, Ino's father, Neji. Other people from other villages have also lost their shinobi, too."

He smiled at Shikamaru. "Have faith in Naruto. He'll understand."

They heard a sudden ruckus outside, heard long strides and purposeful steps, then Naruto burst into the office without knocking. He strode in, uncaring of protocol, then stopped in front of the Hokage's desk. He laid a scroll on top.

"Yo, Hokage!" he said with a grin. "I've come to report that Ishibashi Village has completed the new wells you've ordered dug. Three new ones are now providing water to all of the people. The village sends you their thanks."

Kakashi sighed. "How many times have I told you to knock before entering the office, Naruto?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "Naruto! It's called common courtesy. You should try it sometime. You're such a pain in the ass. Unbelievable!"

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto said with a yawn. "I've heard this so many times that this is getting boring."

But he saw their serious faces and instantly knew something was different today. "Okay, Shikamaru, Hokage-sama, I apologize. I was just excited to be back in Konoha and to see you guys again. I haven't been home in a week. I didn't think it would take that long to complete this mission."

He rubbed the back of his head and gave a self-conscious laugh. "I know it's strange and I've only been gone a few days, but I love coming back and seeing the gates, the Hokage stone faces, Ichiraku. I missed home."

Shikamaru grinned suddenly. He looked at Kakashi with a raised brow. "Okay, Hokage-sama. Good luck convincing him then."

Kakashi shook his head at his assistant then leaned back in his chair. He deepened his voice, inflecting it with seriousness to make Naruto understand.

"Naruto, I'm kicking you out of Konoha for a couple of years. You're going to travel to other villages and learn how to build peace. You can come back to the village every few months. It's a super extra S-class mission."

"Really?!" Naruto said with excitement. " _Super_ _extra_ S-Class mission?! When do I start?"

Kakashi looked at Shikamaru. "Easy as pie."

* * *

"That was unfair," Shikamaru grumbled when Naruto left the room.

Kakashi laughed. "Shikamaru! You're just going to have to recognize a master at handling Naruto. When it comes to him, you just mention the word Hokage and S-Class and he'll usually do it."

Shikamaru responded with his own chuckle. "Yeah, I never doubted you for a second. He trusts you. We _all_ trust you."

Kakashi continued smiling, but his glance quickly flitted up to the ceiling. He then gave a nod at his assistant. "Okay, I'll leave the rest to you then, Shikamaru. They'll all give you their plans and you can give them more of the details of what we want them to accomplish."

"Sure, Hokage-sama. Just leave it to me," Shikamaru said as he walked out of the room.

"All right, I guess I need to go get some air, too," Kakashi said a few minutes later into the empty room.

He was waiting for him outside, leaning a hip against the balcony, his arms folded, gazing up at the faces on the rock, lingering on the face of the Fourth.

Hokage habits _already_. Kakashi smiled at his own private joke.

"I guess you needed to hear more than just super extra S-Class mission, huh?"

"You're allowed to have your fun, sometimes, Hokage," Naruto said with a brief smile. "I'll do it, of course, because you asked me to, and this seems very important to you and for Konoha. I'll do my duty."

Kakashi gazed at Naruto unblinkingly. "Think of it as another step on the path to becoming Hokage."

"Knowing you and Shikamaru, there's always a legitimate reason why you guys are doing this, so I understand _that_ part."

The look Naruto flashed Kakashi next was hesitant. "I'm just not sure if I'll be able to learn everything that you guys want me to."

"Doubts from you? That's very rare," Kakashi said.

Naruto was quiet as he thought about it for a moment. "Not doubts, I think."

He then glanced at Kakashi with a candid smile. "Just uncertainty about the future."

Kakashi's eyes glimmered with respect. _Good_. He was man enough to admit it.

"Up to this point, I've been dealing with the shinobi world, training, fighting, enduring, moving on. The single focus has been war and surviving. This is all I've known since I was eight. But I think from here on out, my life is going to change, isn't it?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi only nodded.

The younger shinobi continued. "I just wanted to make sure that we're on the same page. Kakashi-sensei, I'm going to be dealing with a lot of things that I've never encountered before, aren't I?"

"Correct."

Naruto sighed. "Okay, that's it, then."

Kakashi stood where he was, looking at the man Naruto had become. Taller now, taller even than him. More mature than he would ever admit, too, but Kakashi had no cause to worry. The mischief always lurked behind the seriousness. It was never going to leave him, it was just in Naruto's nature.

He smiled inwardly as he remembered the twelve-year-old boy he'd inflicted with the Thousand Years of Pain jutsu. Can't do that anymore, he thought with a chuckle.

Naruto glanced at him, but Kakashi didn't say anything. Instead, they both looked up at the stone faces again.

"I miss my dad. I wish I'd had more time with him."

Kakashi smiled. "Yes, Naruto. Me, too. Minato-sensei was a fine example of what a man should be."

"And I miss Jiraiya, too." Naruto grinned, thinking of the worst example of what a man should be. But after a moment, the memory of his father and Jiraiya affected him differently. He felt a sudden spasm in his heart. There it was, the sweep of grief that never seemed to leave him. He took a moment to let it flow through him, then he breathed out the sadness.

Naruto nodded after a while and finally said, "Shame we both lost our fathers and our masters when we were so young. I wish they were here with us. I think they would've loved to see Konoha and our time so peaceful now."

"They really would."

Naruto continued, "There are so many things I wanted to ask them, but I have to figure out this whole 'being a man' thing on my own."

"Hey, now. You're not completely on your own yet. Last time I looked, _I'm_ a man. I'm still here, aren't I?" Kakashi said.

Naruto made a face at him. "I just don't trust advice from a guy who claims _Icha Icha Paradise_ as his favorite book."

"One of these days, you'll open your eyes and recognize that book as an amazing work of genius."

* * *

As Naruto traveled outside of Konoha, sometimes with other members tasked to these missions, but mostly on his own, he learned the different ways villages did things, the way they treated their people, and how cultures affected their thinking processes.

Mostly, though, Naruto discovered that while _he_ might have the capacity to forgive and forget, not everyone else did. Kakashi had been right about the delicate state of the peace they were slowly settling in to. It could fracture at any time.

He saw clearly that letting go wasn't as easy for other people. Other people held on to grudges and let it fester. He'd forgotten that not everyone was shinobi and not everyone could always endure. He understood now why Kakashi had forced him out to explore not only the world but to learn the difficulties in leading people, both shinobi and civilians alike.

Of course, Naruto himself had known the destructive consequences of holding on to hate. But he'd seen more through other people's eyes, too. Villages that were not so strong, but still caught up in history created by past generations of war had suffered. War orphans, children, and women, those who needed to be protected were severely affected when fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters died in war.

Even now, Naruto wanted to tear his hair out in frustration. He was in the middle of a mission, chasing a man who'd attacked the village he'd been visiting on this trip.

What is it about people that made them hold on to their hurts and grievances? The war was over, why hang on to the things that made life so hard to bear? But it seemed as if it was hard to give up the hate when that's all you've known all your life.

He just didn't understand it, _couldn't_ understand it.

He tore through the woods and villages, turning on his Kyuubi mode and asking Kurama to help him carry this load. Every time he turned it on, he remembered Kakashi's words about people wanting to help him at every step of the way. It made him feel better to have this stalwart ally with him everywhere he went.

_Thanks, Kurama,_ he said to the beast.

"Hmph! No need to thank me! It's _our_ power," came the Fox's reply.

Naruto chuckled. He'd sensed the beast's spurt of pleasure before Kurama had quickly hidden it.

He flew, covering the distance in an instant. The attacker's kunais didn't even hit him. He extended his Kyuubi arms and caught the attacker just as he was about to send out an exploding scroll.

He sensed the attacker's frustration as he held him with Kurama's chakra.

Why is _he_ here?! was the thought that circled through the man's mind.

Naruto could feel the confusion.

"I'm here to help you guys sort out your problems. I don't understand why you're still warring over this piece of land!" Naruto said to the man.

"Because it was ours first! We were the first settlers in this area. Are you siding with the other village, then? How fair is that?!"

"I'm not siding with anyone. I'm here to figure out what the reason is, why you guys are still fighting when all we want is peace," Naruto answered back as calmly as he could. It wouldn't help to antagonize the man.

"Peace!" the man scoffed. "Easy for you guys to say in Konoha! You guys were the ones who caused all of this in the first place."

Naruto swallowed his irritation. Again the same argument. Here he was trying to right the wrongs, to lend a helping hand, but everyone was being so stubborn and inflexible with their thinking.

He understood now why the Hokage had sent everyone out to do these missions. Once the cause for unity disbanded, self-interest and selfishness took over. He could appreciate now how Itachi had felt, weighing the common good versus individual wants. The decision to go up against his clan to save Konoha had not been made lightly.

But he had to try. "Look, I'm not trying to stir the pot. I'm just here to listen to everyone! To _all_ the sides, not just one. I didn't attack you guys. You came and ambushed me even though I'm all alone. I'm not mad. I want to help you all."

The man spat. "You can help by telling them to get off our land!"

Naruto sighed, but he held on to the man anyway. He quickly found the man's allies and Kurama's power helped disarm and capture all of them. Six men from the neighboring area had come to disrupt the farmers from tilling the land, had caused damage to the storefronts, and planted bombs that could explode at any time. Those damages, Naruto quickly rectified.

The hard part was getting everyone to just talk about the issues.

"Don't worry, I'm here to protect you guys, too," Naruto reassured all of them as he carried them with Kurama's chakra into a room filled with angry villagers. He increased the intensity of his power, making it known to everyone that he wasn't going to let anyone hurt these captured men.

After everyone settled into their places, Naruto released the men he'd rounded up but kept them protected within his power. This time, though, he cloaked everyone in the room in his chakra. He wanted everyone to feel connected, to feel the same thoughts. But the thoughts swirling throughout the room were angry and filled with hate.

"Okay, now we're all going to talk. Just _talk_. We're going to listen to each other and see what's bothering everyone."

Naruto smiled as reassuringly as he could at the villagers and the antagonists. He really hoped he could make everyone understand each other.

"But before we do that, I want everyone to close their eyes and think of the people they love. Think of them smiling and reaching out to you," he said.

The atmosphere changed as he felt their thoughts flow through his chakra. It was friendlier and less intense. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.


	8. Searching for an Emissary

**Chapter 8: Searching for an Emissary**

Meanwhile, Shikamaru had been trying to rack his brains as to who'd be able to do the diplomatic missions, the more delicate task of talking to different factions among the villages and representing Konoha's interests abroad. As Kakashi's assistant, he was more than willing to do it. But it was too much for one person. He needed someone else to conduct these types of assignments.

Naruto was the first one he scratched off his list. Shikamaru could still remember the ruckus he'd created in the Hokage's office as he complained about the mission he'd just come back from.

"Please don't send me again to these villages where there are so many young ninjas," he'd shouted. "They always chase _and_ scratch me, Hokage! I don't want to deal with teenage fangirls anymore! It was _not_ an S-Class mission! Don't make me call you a liar!"

Hinata was off the list, too, and he didn't bother talking to her. She was just too damned shy. She wouldn't be able to handle it, surrounded by so many people and having to negotiate on Konoha's behalf with confidence.

Shikamaru had taken one look at Kiba bounding up on Akamaru and decided _no_. There was no way he'd be able to conduct politics, either. He was too loud and brash, and just as bad as Naruto.

Maybe Shino? He had the temperament for it.

"What do you think? You think you can help me out?" Shikamaru asked after explaining the situation.

He was met by the sound of crickets—literally.

Shino held up a clear box filled with the jumping insects. "Sorry Shikamaru, but I've got other priorities. I'm using this travel abroad to discover more insects for my clan and to talk to people who have the same type of skills as ours. Why? Because the more insect users, the merrier."

Sakura quickly shook her head at his approach. "I don't have the patience to deal with people squabbling over things I don't care about. Plus, I want to learn more medical jutsu when I'm abroad. I'm best suited for that type of work. There are a lot of techniques I can learn from other villages and bring back to Konoha to build up the medical corps here."

Sai was smiling his fake smile at him when he approached. It _could_ work. He was former Root. He was cool under pressure and had an excellent poker face, Shikamaru thought hopefully—until Sai whipped out a book and started flipping through the pages.

"I need to check my book first. So at these meetings with leaders, the first thing to do is to smile, then shake hands, then greetings. What do you say for a greeting, though? Hmm," Sai thought for a moment then said, "Yo, _man_ , how's it going?"

Lee looked at him with his big round eyes and Shikamaru knew this wasn't going to work, either. Yes, he was very intelligent and astute, but Lee was too open and easy to read. He wouldn't be able to finesse around difficult issues. Hell, he'd probably give away Konoha's secrets and riches in a heartbeat.

But _Tenten_ could do it!

She laughed in his face. "No, thanks! I want to grow my business, so my goal is to check out the market and the competition in other villages. I've already got so many contacts and business partners. They're coming next month to check out what we have in Konoha. It's great!" She gave him a wry look. "Besides, you really think I can keep my cool when the talk turns to arms and weapons?"

Ino would have been perfect with her flirty and outgoing personality, but she'd been very subdued since the death of her father. She smiled at him in sympathy. "I wish I can help you, Shikamaru. But I'm only doing the bare minimum of these missions outside of Konoha because the Hokage asked and it's to help Naruto in the future. Truthfully, though, I'd like to stay here in the village as much as I can. I want to be with my mom. We still have the flower shop to run, too."

He didn't want to pressure her.

Chouji would be too concerned about the food instead of focusing on anything political. Shikamaru smiled. He wouldn't be able to concentrate if he was hungry, and Chouji was hungry _all_ the time. Plus, he seemed to be spending more time traveling to and staying at Kumo.

He was still racking his brain when Hinata approached him.

"I'd like to do the missions, Shikamaru," she said.

A few minutes later, there was a smile on his normally indolent face after talking with her. He was whistling as he was heading back to the Hokage's office to tell him about the deal he'd just done with Hinata.

He'd been surprised when Hinata had approached him at first and volunteered to go on these types of missions. He'd agreed to her plan immediately, seeing the merits of her argument. Both of them came from powerful clans and he understood the type of maneuvering that she'd had to go through in dealing with hers.

His steps, however, slowed. _Wait a minute,_ he thought, as he suddenly realized that it was _she_ who had outmaneuvered _him_.

Hinata had used her voice, keeping it low so he could lean down and hear her better. She'd smiled at him with such a sweet expression on her face, that he didn't feel like he could deny her anything. She'd touched his arm when she asked her questions, making Shikamaru feel like he'd done something naughty for having her lay her hand there.

Then she'd laid the final blow to her arguments in trying to persuade him: "Shikamaru, I'm just _quiet_. But I think I can really do good just by listening to people and getting to the heart of the problem. And I'm not shy around _everyone_ , just..." letting the sentence trail off for him to make his own conclusions. There had been just the perfect amount of uncertainty in her voice to make him feel bad and feel like wanting to please her.

_Shit_ , he thought with sudden respect. She was perfect.

Women! Shikamaru shook his head. Such pains in the ass, but he had to hand it to her. Hinata had surprised him.

* * *

A week later, two sets of shinobi were exchanging greetings at the Aun entrance of the village.

"Bye, Hinata! Don't miss me _too_ much!" Naruto yelled cheerfully and waved at her as he and his team stepped through the gates of Konoha. He turned to Ino and Tenten. "Ladies, don't drag me down during this mission. We're going to be together for a while so you better keep up!"

"Tenten, hold him down while I stuff my kunai down his throat!" came Ino's angry screech.

"Ino, I'm only joking!"

Of course. He was _always_ joking. But Hinata had felt a flutter in her heart at his parting words. _She_ would miss him while he was just being normal about life.

Beside her, Sakura smiled with sympathy. "So dense," she muttered.

Shino gave her a pat on the arm.

She smiled at them. "I'm fine guys! We're just friends, after all. Nothing to worry about."

Sakura only pursed her lips. Shino looked at her impassively.

"Okay, if you say so," Sakura finally said. But her tone indicated she didn't believe her. "So he's off again. Two months in Kiri and the area around the village he said, right?"

"Yes," Hinata said. They all started walking towards the Hokage's Tower. They had to hand in their reports. Sakura, Shino, and Hinata had just gotten back from their mission and had met Naruto's team as they were heading out.

She'd seen the excitement in his eyes. It looked like he was enjoying himself as he traveled far. She, meanwhile, was waiting for Shikamaru and the Hokage's go-ahead before she could go off on her own. She was anxious, but she wanted to know what it was like, why Naruto always seemed happy enough to head out on these missions.

But she wasn't surprised. These last two years, he'd been in demand. Lady Tsunade and Sakura had made sure he was properly training with his arm. When they'd finally declared he didn't need any more rehabilitation, Kakashi and Shikamaru had sent him on local missions where the leaders got a boost of morale from Naruto's presence. The rebuilding of Konoha had gone more smoothly as everyone benefited from his cheerful and encouraging company.

She, meanwhile, had been happy enough to watch him recover from his injuries and also from the emotional toll of the war. After their heart-to-heart conversation at Neji's grave, he'd been true to his word and had treated her as a friend. He'd teased her the same way he'd teased all their friends. They'd even shared meals together at Ichiraku. While she'd been able to act normally around him, had even become comfortable in his presence, her feelings for him sometimes got in the way. It still prevented her from being completely at ease with him. But she'd hidden it well from him. To him, she was just a friend who would always support and believe in him.

Unfortunately, Naruto still remained completely and utterly ignorant of love. Their situation seemed hopeless. Hinata grinned to herself. But she was fine with it. It wasn't in her nature to push so she was willing to wait.

Plus, she felt like something was lacking in her being, something beyond her love for him and her life in Konoha. Maybe she would discover what it was in the next phase of her career.

Her conversation with Shikamaru had made her feel excited. She was still surprised that she'd taken the initiative and broached the subject with him when she'd heard about his search for an emissary. It had seemed interesting and something she felt she could do. Maybe this would finally help her discover what she could be truly capable of.

Shikamaru and Kakashi met them at the Hokage's office with a smile. After giving their reports, Shino and Sakura left.

"Hinata, wait up," Shikamaru said before she could turn away and head out. She nodded at him as the two closed the door.

"Of course," she answered and waited.

Kakashi was considering her with an appreciative gleam in his eyes. "I have to say that I'm glad you're going to be doing this, Hinata. And that you decided to do it on your own."

Hinata blushed. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. I'm just grateful for the chance to prove myself to you."

He laughed. "You have nothing to prove to _me_. But this will be a challenge for yourself."

"Yeah," Shikamaru said. "We're going to rely on your hidden talents to make sure we can build a world worth fighting for."

Hinata felt the weight of their words settle in her heart. She smiled luminously at them and borrowed one of Naruto's favorite lines when she said, "Leave it to me!"

And she'd been the perfect emissary. She'd thrown herself willingly into these diplomatic missions. Kakashi and Shikamaru had utilized her skills and asked her to travel to places beyond Konoha, where she spent months away from home, away from the pressures of the Hyuuga clan.

Hinata finally found a way to shine.


	9. A Visit Home

**Chapter 9: A Visit Home**

A few more months into these special missions, they'd all run into each other at home. Kiba, Ino, Naruto, Sai, Sakura, and Hinata suddenly found themselves greeting each other at the gates of Konoha.

"Everyone! It's been a while since we've been together like this!" Ino cried. She hooked an arm around Sakura and Hinata's shoulders then looked at the boys with delight. "Why don't we all go to YakinikuQ for dinner? We can all catch up there."

Naruto folded his arms. "What about Ichiraku?"

"No!" Ino said as they all started walking in the direction of the barbecue restaurant. "If you want to go, you can go by yourself."

Hinata fell back and walked beside Naruto. She smiled at him. "Maybe next time, Naruto?"

He grinned at her. "Yup!"

Somehow, at the restaurant, Naruto ended up sitting between Ino and Sakura, who were already bantering with each other.

Hinata sat across from them at the table, talking to Kiba about her latest trip to Iwa. Occasionally, her eyes flicked to the three on the opposite side as she observed the way Sakura and Ino leaned into Naruto, over him, and had their arms and chest pressed up against his arms. Of course, everyone was drinking, but she suspected that those two would be doing the same thing even if alcohol wasn't involved.

She envied their personalities, both of them so outgoing, fun, and confident. The comfortable way they touched Naruto indicated that they thought of him as just a friend. She wished she could someday find the courage to be comfortable and easy with him like that, the way they did.

But Ino and Sakura had grown up in normal families, had never had the experience of being mercilessly trained by a tyrant of a father—who admittedly, now was doing his best to mend his ways.

"Ino, they have this particular type of surgical knife at Suna," Sakura was saying, her voice dripping with envy and desire. She sighed as she looked at her hand, imagining the feel of the blade when she'd held it. "It cuts through bone with just a single slice, all without requiring the medic to use chakra."

Her arm was resting on Naruto's shoulder, the other hand was now lifting her drink to her lips.

Ino brightened. Naruto was looking queasy. "Do we need to talk about cutting flesh while we're eating meat?!"

Hinata smiled, but she became pensive again as she marveled at the difference between her and the two women sitting across from her. She sighed. She guessed it was just the result of growing up a Hyuuga, under the stern, watchful eyes of not only her father, but the entire clan.

The kidnapping attempt by Kumo when she was younger had been a source of uneasiness for her family. It had led to the death of her Uncle Hizashi and had been a blow to the Hyuuga pride. After that, they had smothered her with overprotectiveness, treating her like a fragile princess, robbing her of confidence and self-worth. She was made to feel that she needed to be protected all the time, which contributed greatly to her shyness and anxiety.

When Naruto had come into her life, it was the first time she'd felt that she could change her situation. She'd watched him work relentlessly to fight against the hardships of his life and had wanted that same drive for herself. Then Neji had become her ally after _his_ fight with Naruto. And she'd loved Neji for acknowledging her worth as a shinobi instead of someone weak who'd always needed protection from others. He'd seen her potential and had supervised her training.

"Hinata!"

"Huh?" She blinked and she saw that everyone was looking at her. Naruto had called her name.

"Yo, you still with us, Hinata?" Kiba said.

"Sorry," she said with a sheepish smile. "I was just thinking."

"Hinata, are you okay? Shikamaru's not driving you too hard with these missions, is he?" Ino asked her with genuine concern. Her eyes suddenly flashed with displeasure. "Let me know if he's bothering you so I can talk to him."

Hinata grinned at her. "Thanks Ino, but it's not that. Shikamaru and the Hokage have both been very supportive. I'm enjoying myself. I love getting to travel and seeing other places."

Ino and Sakura looked at each other, then at her. They both nodded. Ino smiled. "Okay, if you say so. But do let us know if it gets too much."

"I will." Hinata smiled at Ino.

Naruto was in the middle of popping food into his mouth. His chopsticks paused mid-air as he looked at Hinata in surprise. He'd heard from everyone that she'd been constantly traveling herself and had been spending months away from Konoha. He looked at her. "Wait, what kind of missions are you doing, Hinata?"

Hinata was about to answer, but Sakura beat her to it.

Sakura put down her drink with a thunk on the table. "I already told you the last time I saw you! She's doing negotiations, brokering peace among the smaller villages, you idiot," she fumed. "You're going to have to do that when you're Hokage, too!"

"What?! I'll just do what Kakashi-sensei is doing and send my underlings to deal with all that! I don't need to do stuff like that."

Sakura glared at him. "You know what? You're right, I wouldn't want someone clumsy and stupid like you representing Konoha at these negotiations!"

It prompted another round of arguing between the two. Hinata hid her smile as she watched the two of them bickering. Some things never changed.

After the two of them subsided, Naruto turned to Hinata and asked, "You like the traveling, but do you like the _missions_?"

Hinata nodded and smiled at him, and the rest of the group who were all now looking at her. "Yes, of course! It's interesting. When I first started, the Hokage and Shikamaru were worried about the byakugan getting into enemy hands, but nobody really cares about my eyes. It's my _ears_ they're more interested in."

She grinned at them. "All I do is listen. People just want to have someone listen to their problems."

"Oh, Hinata!" Sakura said with a sigh. "You're a _saint_! I wouldn't be able to do that."

Ino chuckled. "Yes, we _know._ "

"Ino!" Sakura said as she reached behind Naruto's back with her chopsticks in a motion to stab her, but she knocked into him too hard that he almost planted his hands on the flaming grill in front of him.

"Sakura!" he yelled in protest. "You almost barbecued my hands! Knock it off!"

Sakura gasped. "Sorry, Naruto!"

Still grumbling, Naruto glared at her.

Ino batted her eyes teasingly at Sakura and grinned, but she laid a hand on Naruto's arm and said, "Sorry, Naruto. That was really dangerous and it was my fault."

"Hmph!" he said. "And you guys were the ones who wanted to eat here. I told you we should've gone to Ichiraku!"

"But this way, we get to see each other face to face, instead of sitting at the counter, right?" Hinata quickly said, trying to dispel the tension.

He smiled at her, forgetting his ire at the two women sitting next to him. "Yeah!"

Sakura and Ino smiled at her with a knowing look. Hinata then realized the meaning of her words too late. It sounded like she'd just spent the entire evening staring at him, which she _had_ done. She flushed guiltily.

Ino laughed at her, turned to Naruto, then said, "Naruto, you okay traveling everywhere by yourself? Since our last mission together, you've been alone most of the time."

She picked up some of the cooked meat from the grill, placed it on a plate and handed it to Sai, who was sitting across from her. Hinata caught the surreptitious way Ino's fingers brushed his as she handed Sai the plate she'd filled with food. The smile they shared was sweet.

Oh, wow, Hinata thought with a spurt of happiness. How nice for them.

"Yeah, it's good," Naruto said as he chewed his food and missed all the subtle things happening around him. "I talk to people most of the time, but getting everyone to agree is hard. Sometimes, though, it makes me doubt whether I really want to be Hokage if I have to deal with bickering people all the time."

Hinata gasped. He looked at her worried face and said with his usual grin, "No, no! I didn't say I wasn't going to completely give up on that dream. I said it's a lot harder than I thought it would be."

She looked relieved and then nodded. She suddenly broke eye contact, picked up her own plate, and started eating. She didn't want to be the focus of his attention.

"Didn't you travel with Jiraiya-sama, though?" Sakura asked with a frown. "You know what, you never mentioned anything about it at all."

"Yeah, but we didn't really leave Konoha land," Naruto said as he picked up the plate in front of him, inspecting the burnt meat Sakura had placed on it. He gave her a frowning sideways glance then tossed it back into the fire.

"Plus we spent most of our time at onsens because he had all his research to do for his stupid books. But I _did_ train and worked on my rasengan and fighting skills, so it's different from what I'm doing now. I'm mostly trying to just get people to talk to each other, getting to the root of the problems and seeing if we can come up with solutions."

Hinata had kept her attention on him again and his eyes met hers across the table when he looked up. He'd caught her looking.

"Oh! Just like me then," she said. "That's good, Naruto, so you're learning to negotiate, too."

"Huh? Really?" Naruto asked. Then he smiled, looking pleased. "I guess, I am, then. Cool!"

Hinata felt everyone's approval and blushed. Naruto was looking particularly happy and kept smiling at her, which made her even more nervous.

_Argh!_

She suddenly panicked, quickly lowered her lashes, and picked up her chopsticks again. Her resolve to get stronger and confident around Naruto was wavering. Tonight, after not seeing him for a few months, she found his blue gaze too intense. She couldn't bear it. It was always up and down with her when it came to Naruto. One day she would be fine, the next she'd be a mess. It was enough to drive her crazy.

_It's fine. Just eat_ , she told herself, her eyes on her food.

"So everyone's doing okay, then?" Naruto asked after one more puzzled glance at Hinata's bowed head. He turned to Sai and Kiba sitting across from him.

Kiba took a drink from his beer and sighed. "Yeah, these missions are just making me feel like I've missed so much, just staying in Konoha. Did you know that there are so many other village's jutsus that mesh so well when working with dogs? I didn't realize there were that many! Akamaru's been on cloud nine since we started."

They nodded.

Hinata turned her attention away from Naruto. She leaned in forward, looked right past Kiba, and addressed Sai. "How are _your_ missions, Sai?"

Sai leaned in, too, past Kiba sitting between them and met her gaze with a friendly smile. "Mine's been good. I wanted to do ANBU and covert missions, but Shikamaru said I should focus on something else."

Naruto's grin was full of teasing. "What, you mean they didn't want you doing secret, undercover stuff?"

"No," Sai answered truthfully. "I'm working more closely with people, doing the same things I've been doing here in Konoha, but just in different villages. I'm around _lots_ of people. They said I needed to work on my social skills."

"Social skills!" Naruto chortled with glee. "That's a good one! 'Cause you're so awkward and bungling and so _ungraceful_. 'Cause you're just so embarrassing, Sai! Hahaha!"

But he stopped laughing when he realized nobody else was sharing the joke.

"I think you're talking about _you_ , Naruto," Sakura said.

Hinata chuckled. She loved being out of Konoha, but sometimes, it was good to be home, too.


	10. Working Girl

**Chapter 10: Working Girl**

Months later, launching herself whole-heartedly into this new pattern of life, Hinata finally hit her stride.

It was through these diplomatic missions that Hinata found her true calling. They were the perfect outlet for her quiet nature. She ultimately discovered that gentleness had a place in the world of the shinobi, after all—that it was a strength of its own.

This was power that only _she_ possessed, that even her cousin Neji had, to be honest, ignored. He'd been her ally in finding strength, but they'd only focused on physical and mental strength. They had never explored her gentle nature. As always, her sweetness had been treated as a weakness, something that needed to be crushed out of her, or changed and molded to suit others' needs.

Hyuugas were raised to be proud, to believe that they were the best of the best, but Hinata had never believed that for herself and had sensed how different she was from the rest of her clan. She just lacked the hardness and harshness of the Hyuugas. This realization had robbed her of the ability to speak up and to assert herself against the overwhelming force of her family.

But as she traveled out of Konoha and explored, she came to understand that she could use her gentleness to ease the burden others felt, to make others feel comfortable enough to talk. She slowly gained belief in herself and her skills as a diplomat.

As she listened to others, she'd found herself talking more easily to people, getting over the shyness that always pervaded her. The more Hinata listened, the easier it became to gather her thoughts and ask questions that made people want to talk more. It forced her to get over her natural timidity, to pay attention to what people really wanted to talk about, giving her the confidence to skillfully maneuver around complicated issues calmly.

Her experience dealing with the prickly pride of the Hyuuga Clan had also given her the necessary skills to soothe the ruffled feathers of angry, pompous people. Young, old, male, female, rich, and poor had found her peaceful, quiet presence comforting. She was so easy to talk to and they truly appreciated the air of caring that always surrounded her as she listened with genuine sympathy and concern.

She was also easy on the eyes. Kakashi and Shikamaru, both cagey and politically adept, had taken advantage of the fact and had used her delicate beauty to represent Konoha in difficult situations. Of course, they were careful to hide the fact from Hinata, whose open nature would probably have balked at knowing she was being used in such a way.

They'd notice the hush that gripped the crowd when she'd enter a room, or the admiring glances that usually men—the village leaders, the daimyos, and their sons—often sent her way.

She, meanwhile, remained blind to it all.

_Thank god she's still firmly in love with Naruto_ , Shikamaru thought, as he took another drink from the tray. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to pull off these things. They were at Suna, waiting for Gaara to appear with his siblings, the host for this particular event. Shikamaru and Hinata had been assigned on one of these trips that Kakashi had insisted they take to promote more peaceful relations—though Shikamaru didn't think it was necessary to keep "promoting" peace with an already established ally.

But hey, he wasn't going to complain. Even though it was a pain in the ass to get here, he liked coming to Suna for a visit.

Unbeknownst to Shikamaru, Naruto had also arrived at The Sand. He was waiting in a room that Baki had sent him to. He hadn't realized that he'd been rude in just simply arriving without sending word to Gaara first.

He shook his head. He should have asked Kurama to send word through the one-tailed Shukaku, who could've relayed the message to Gaara, giving him advanced warning of his arrival. Now he'd placed all of them in an awkward position.

It had been on a whim, this visit to Suna. He'd been in the area, helping a smaller village that bordered the Kazekage's land. The village was poor and seeing the people living in such conditions had made Naruto realize the differences between Konoha and other lands. It made sense now why some people found it so hard to let go of bitterness when they lived in situations where they felt helpless. Again, it was another issue he tacked to the back of his mind, something he needed to think about when it became time to lead people. For now, all he could do was offer encouragement to people obviously struggling. He'd made the villagers realize that sometimes, changing something small, something within their control, was enough to change their fate, or more importantly, change their mindset. But he discovered that even in such a short time in their presence, being available to help was enough for most people.

After that, since he'd been close, he wanted to stop by in Suna for a quick visit before heading back home again to Konoha. He wanted to see his friend again.

Baki, Gaara's advisor, had looked at him speculatively but hadn't said anything. "If you can wait here, the Kazekage will probably let you know."

_Let me know what?_ Naruto thought, frowning.

But a few minutes later, Gaara walked in, his hand outstretched and a smile of greeting on his face.

"Naruto! This is a surprise but I'm happy to see you," the Kazekage said, his voice warm with welcome.

"Gaara!" Naruto grinned. His hands were in his pockets, but he'd forgotten that Gaara was a hand-shaker. He took out both hands, walked up to him, and pumped the Kazekage's hand a little too enthusiastically, which made them both laugh.

"Welcome back to Suna, Naruto," Gaara said. "There's a celebration tonight. Would you like to join us? There are people here from Konoha who'd be happy to see you. Shikamaru is here. And so is Hinata Hyuuga."

"Hinata!" Naruto said, startled to hear the name. Shikamaru, he could understand, since he was the Hokage's right-hand man, but Hinata was a pleasant surprise. And he remembered that she was traveling outside of Konoha working for the Hokage. That's right. She was also on diplomatic missions.

"Yo, Naruto Uzumaki!" Kankuro said with a smile as he walked into the room, Temari at his side. "Famous hero from the Great War! Why are you here in the Sand? And how come you didn't come with the rest of the Hokage's emissaries?"

"I didn't know they were going to be here," Naruto said. "But now I really want to see them."

"Not in those clothes, you're not," Temari said coolly, looking at Naruto's mud-splattered mission gear. "This is a celebration. We've just had a grueling session and finally hammered out the agreements. This is a solemn event. You're going to have to change."

"What?!" Naruto tried to protest.

"How about we have it cleaned instead?" Gaara said. Temari glared at him. She had no choice but to agree with her younger brother.

A few minutes later, they all walked into the formal ballroom with a lot of fanfare. Naruto was touted as the guest of honor. Women glanced at him admiringly and he blushed to be at the focus of everyone's attention.

He was starting to enjoy some of it until he heard Kankuro say, "Wow!" in a blatantly admiring voice. He followed his gaze and saw Hinata in the corner of the room talking to a crowd.

She was wearing a dark blue kimono with a silver obi wrapped around her waist, her hair swept up and pinned to the back. It was a simple outfit, but the way she carried herself made her look elegant and polished. There was a light tint of crimson on her cheeks and her lips gleamed pink under the lights. Her eyes were brilliantly smiling at all of them, particularly at the tall brown-haired man standing next to her.

_Wow_ , Naruto thought as well, as he gazed at her. "Is that _Hinata_?!" he asked in disbelief. He couldn't believe it.

"Yes, it is," a voice said beside him and Naruto found Shikamaru grinning into his face.

"She looks so different…" Naruto said distractedly. "She looks…"

"Beautiful," Kankuro completed Naruto's sentence with a sly grin. "She looks amazing, desirable, and ravishing."

Naruto frowned at him. He didn't like the way Kankuro was looking at Hinata. He was about to head in her direction to say hello, but Shikamaru held him back.

"No, don't bother her right now. She's working," he said with a hard edge to his voice.

"Working?!" Naruto said incredulously as he turned to his friend. "What do you mean?"

Shikamaru sighed. "You pain in the ass. I hate explaining these things to you because you just don't get subtlety."

He pointed to the tall man with brown hair and a diamond stud in one ear standing next to her. The man was looking down at Hinata, an arm held loosely around her waist. She was trying to subtly avoid that grasping arm. Naruto hated seeing her so unprotected.

"That's the Fire Country Daimyo's son. The Hokage, Hinata, and I are trying to get money to help the families of the shinobi who've died during the war. Money's running out and we need more support. We've been trying to get more from the Daimyo, but he's been stubbornly avoiding us. I tried to use my connections as Asuma's disciple to get an audience with the Daimyo, but he's been hiding. So now we're trying a different tact. She's trying to get the _son_ to agree to some of our demands."

Naruto understood the reasoning, but he didn't like the way the man was looming over Hinata. "Yeah, but…"

Shikamaru looked at him disbelievingly. "Do you honestly think _Hinata_ needs your protection from a civilian?! She can easily kill the guy. Watch her and see how she can use something gentler to disarm him."

Naruto watched, still seething with resentment.

From afar, he watched as Hinata continued smiling up at the Daimyo's son, who was able to finally put his hand on her waist. She put her hand over his and patted it. She said something that changed the man's expression from flirting to almost sadness. The man continued talking and Hinata's face turned consoling as she nodded with understanding. She patted the man on the arm again, and then she reached up and hugged him.

Actually _hugged_ him! Naruto thought with disgust.

The Daimyo's son looked at her with a glazed expression and she murmured something that made the man smile. He bowed to her as he released her waist, grabbed a hand, and pressed a chaste kiss on her fingers.

Naruto ground his teeth. He glared at Shikamaru beside him, who ignored him and instead was smiling broadly at Hinata.

_Really?_ Naruto thought in disbelief. _This_ was working?

Hinata bowed to the man and glided towards where Shikamaru and Naruto were standing. Without sparing a glance at Naruto, she headed straight for Shikamaru, her gaze locked on his. She was excited, but she kept her expression neutral. Her eyes, though, shone with happiness and satisfaction. She was a foot away from them when she reached out her hand and grabbed Shikamaru's arm. The movement looked refined and graceful, but Shikamaru knew how excited she was by the strength of her grip. Her face broke out into a jubilant smile. "Oh, _Shikamaru_ ," she whispered in a breathy, husky voice. "We got it!"

Shikamaru, normally so lax and lazy-looking, actually flushed a little bit and grinned at her. "I knew you could do it."

"Hi, Hinata," Naruto said with a spurt of irritation. He shot a peeved glance at the both of them. Did she really need to say Shikamaru's name in _that_ tone? It was so annoying.

As if she'd just realized he'd been standing there, she turned to Naruto with surprise. "Naruto!"

Naruto swallowed the indignation he felt when she'd completely ignored him.

But before he could even say something, somebody came and swept her away. This time, an older gentleman came to talk to her and Hinata made her excuses as she was led away. She turned to her fellow Konoha shinobi and said, "I'll talk to you guys later."

Kankuro suddenly sighed and sniffed the air where she'd just been. "She even _smells_ nice."

He looked at the two of them and said, "Wow, what's wrong with you Konoha guys? How is it that a woman like that is still available and running loose, away from your village?"

Shikamaru resisted the urge to look at Naruto. Not guys, only one _guy_.

Instead, he turned to Temari and said, "You look nice."

"Can't say the same about you," came her reply.


	11. The Balcony

**Chapter 11: The Balcony**

Hinata took a deep breath as she stood outside. She just needed to cool down. She'd been talking to so many people today, she just wanted a chance to take a break and find some peace of mind.

And to calm herself before she could face Naruto again.

Oh, she'd known he'd been in the room. There was no way she could have missed him, so golden and bright. She'd seen the admiring glances that a lot of men, and mostly women, sent his way.

But she'd been so filled with pride for her efforts that she'd forgotten his existence. This was growth, she thought with amusement. She'd been able to dismiss him from her mind as she'd enjoyed her success. She, quiet Hinata, had accomplished something that even the supremely capable Shikamaru hadn't been able to do. It had made her happy enough to forget the existence of the love of her life.

Hinata was proud of herself. She'd been able to convince the Daimyo's son to increase more support for the shinobi widows' fund. She would be able to go home to Konoha feeling she'd done some good.

She felt the sudden prickle in her consciousness and gave a low laugh.

Growth, indeed. He'd followed her outside.

Hinata could feel her heart beating faster. They were alone, she realized. She felt a sudden wave of anxiety flow through her. She'd lost the safety of the crowd, the protective embrace of knowing what to do when she was around other people. She always floundered when she was around Naruto, especially when it was just the two of them—at night, under the stars, outside on a balcony. The romance of it was too much to bear.

She didn't turn around but felt him walking towards her. She wanted to fall back on her nervous tick, to focus her breath as she tapped her index fingers together, but she resisted. Maybe she'll do it after she was done talking to him, she suddenly thought with a smile. Then she laughed at herself for being so stupid. He probably had no thought of romance whatsoever in _his_ mind.

Okay, he was just a friend. They were just going to chat.

Just talking. With a friend.

Who she'd been in love with for years.

Hinata finally turned around and watched as he approached her slowly.

_Growth, hah!_ she thought with sudden alarm as she felt herself getting warmer the closer he got to her. That growth sure was short-lived! She willed herself not to panic, to calm down.

She kept her eyes on him, watching him walk towards her, fighting to keep her composure even as her heart pounded and drunk in her first sight of him in months.

God, Hinata loved how he looked in that uniform, the dark top and the orange pants. It fit him well, emphasizing the way he moved with more precision and smoothness. When you've managed to save the world at seventeen, you just gain confidence in your abilities.

It showed. At nineteen, Naruto walked with ease and comfort, strides long, arms swinging casually at his sides, face forward towards a goal he was forever chasing. He vibrated with energy, knowing there was nothing he couldn't do. He had a tall, wiry frame that belied muscles formed from endless hours of physical training. His drive to become the next Hokage meant that he was forever pushing himself to reach, and even go beyond his limits.

But she'd always found him handsome and her fingers itched to skim over his body and feel those lean muscles under her skin. To run her hands through his short, golden hair. One of these days…

He was closer now. And the heat off him was too intense for her.

Hinata swallowed. _Okay. Here we go. Talk to him. He's a friend. Be normal._

"Naruto," she said at his approach.

"Hey, Hinata."

And she was falling again, forever falling. He stopped in front of her, staring with a slight frown on his face, his curious blue eyes flitting over her cheeks and the pink sheen of her lips.

"I didn't recognize you," he said. "It is _you_ , isn't it?"

She suddenly laughed, feeling less tense. "Of course."

"You look nice!" he said with a flush. "I didn't recognize you until Shikamaru pointed you out to me. You look so different. In a kimono."

She smiled as calmly as she could, but her heart was skipping every other beat. _Damn_ , she thought. A compliment—from Naruto! It was a good thing he hadn't noticed the rapid pulse at her neck.

He finally laughed and Hinata felt the tension draining out of her when she heard the familiar sound. _He_ was normal, then _she_ could be, too.

"It's been a while, Hinata! I haven't seen you since we were all having dinner that one time in YakinikuQ."

She nodded. "Yes, it's been a while. I've been back to the village and traveling back out again. Same with you, I think. We just haven't had the chance to run into each other in town again. But it's good to see each other out of Konoha sometimes, isn't it?"

He smiled. "Yeah."

"Not sure about you, but I like it. When you're far away from home, you feel like another person."

He slanted his head to the side, glancing once more at her kimono and then back to her hair. "I guess...but I think it's more for others."

"Just me, then?" she said with another secret smile. Of course. Naruto was recognizable everywhere he went. He wouldn't be able to feel anonymity.

"Hinata," he said suddenly as he reached forward and brushed at the hair on her forehead. His fingers touched her lightly at the top of her head. "Something's sticking up from your hair."

Surprised, she reached up and touched her head where his fingers lingered. Hers brushed his, sending a thrill she felt all the way to her toes. She smiled at him as his hand lowered. One of her hairpins had come loose. She found it and pushed it down, then patted her hair in place. All the while, he watched her in silence.

"Thank you," she said. Hinata was about to say something when she saw a movement at the corner of her eyes. She saw through the glass doors that somebody was heading for them.

One of her admirers who'd latched on to her throughout her entire time here in Suna was approaching them with drinks in his hand.

Oh, no, she thought. She had to do something about him. He was still far away.

Hinata glanced at Naruto and realized he could help her. She was going to regret this, but she had a duty to perform. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest. _Oh, god,_ she thought in fear. But she gathered her courage; she needed to do this. This was for Konoha, for the Hokage.

Plus, she could kill two birds with one stone.

"Ah! Naruto, I need you. I'm sorry, I don't have time to explain right now, but I'm going to use you for a second. Just go with the flow, okay?" she suddenly said.

Then Hinata grabbed his arm, slung it around her shoulder, leaned her body into his front, and wrapped both of her arms around his torso.

* * *

_Naruto, I need you._

The words flowed through his mind first, but they suddenly disappeared as Naruto felt himself engulfed in all kinds of heat. Her abrupt assault on him had left him unprepared to deal with the fire coursing through his body. His face flushed red, and his collar felt tight around his neck. The pit of his stomach burned fiercely and he felt his lungs seizing up. He was having trouble breathing. Hinata had wrapped her arms around his stomach and was looking up at him, a sweet smile on her face. Her mouth was moving but he couldn't make out what she was saying.

Despite the layers of clothing from his uniform and her kimono, he could feel the warmth of her body pressed against his chest...and something soft that made him want to melt...it felt delicious and heavenly, making him sweat...wait, was that a _breast_ pressing against him?!

No, it was _two_ breasts.

Hinata had...breasts...

He swallowed. _Wow_. His hands suddenly felt clammy. He felt dizzy.

She was whispering, her voice low, and he couldn't hear her so he leaned in closer to catch her words but he found her breath fanning against his ear, his neck, which made him uncomfortably warm again. Either that, or give up entirely and die, and just let her brush his skin with her breath.

"...do this…" she was saying, but he was having trouble following the conversation. Kankuro was right, he thought, as he breathed in her scent. She _did_ smell nice, like apples and cinnamon. Again, he felt the burning in his stomach and his hands unconsciously pressed her closer to his body.

She was still talking low and he finally understood what she was saying.

"Just follow my lead. You don't have to say anything."

She leaned closer into his form and tilted her head up, smiled again at him, her expression composed, while here he was panting and losing breath, still feeling intoxicated.

"Please don't frown."

He didn't realize he _had_ been. He kept his gaze on her lips; they were pink and glistening … and still moving.

"Do you think you can smile at me?"

Unconsciously, he did, lips stretching, following whatever orders she was giving him.

"Here he comes."

And Naruto distinctly heard a male voice say, "Oh, Hinata! Sorry! I thought you were alone."

It was dripping with disappointment.

Naruto stiffened at the sound, turned around with a glare, and said, "Yeah, obviously!"

Hinata pressed a hand to his back as a warning. Still whispering low, still with the smile on her face, she said, "No, don't antagonize him. We need him. He's from Iwa. He's an advisor to Onoki Tsuchikage."

Instead, she slowly turned her head away from his face, smiled at the man, and calmly said, "Lord Rumoi! I didn't hear you. Was there something in particular you need?"

She was still holding on to Naruto's arm, still pressed to his side. Her other arm was still at his back. He resisted the urge to sniff her hair as it tickled him on the chin.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. I didn't think there was anybody here with you."

The man glanced at Naruto then at Hinata's arms wrapped around him.

She slanted Naruto a smile that made him want to melt into puddles at her feet, then glanced back at the man. "Lord Rumoi, this is Naruto Uzumaki, an old friend. We were just catching up. I haven't seen him for a long time. I know you mentioned that you would love to meet him."

"Naruto Uzumaki!" the man said with an admiring glance. He came forward and Hinata dropped Naruto's arms as she slowly extricated herself from his embrace. Naruto suddenly felt like crying, feeling the loss of her warmth.

Still smiling, she turned to Naruto. In a soft voice she said, "Naruto, Lord Rumoi would love to talk to you about your exploits during the war. He's working with Lady Kurotsuchi on improving their shinobi training. Do you think you guys could talk about it?"

He looked at the lord's face, firmly staring at him, his eyes away from Hinata's face. That's good, at least. He would rather the man look at him than gaze at Hinata with that look of admiration he was starting to hate.

She meanwhile, had nodded at him and her eyes were pleading with him to take the hint.

"Uh, sure," he said, although in his heart, he really wanted to talk to her instead.

_Naruto, I need you._

"Lord Rumoi," he said as he extended a hand in greeting.

The smile she turned on Naruto was blinding.

Lord Rumoi was shaking his hand, soon launching into an enthusiastic description of Iwa fighting tactics. Naruto kept up the conversation as the three of them stood on the balcony. Soon, Gaara came to find them as he paused at the entrance to the balcony. As soon as she saw him, Hinata touched both men's arms and excused herself.

"The Kazekage should not be kept waiting," she said.

She strode toward Gaara with a wide, open smile on her face. He, too, was smiling at her. Naruto watched as the two of them spoke to each other, an air of familiarity enveloping them.

Wait. When did _that_ happen? his mind was screaming. He kept half of his attention on the Iwa advisor even as he watched Gaara and Hinata laughing together. He felt like he was being kept out of the loop somehow. He wanted to join them instead of talking to this guy he had never met.

But Hinata's words were clear: _I need you._

So instead, he sighed inwardly. "Yeah, definitely," he said in answer to Rumoi's question. "Exactly as the Tsuchikage described it to you. Kurama can transfer chakra through me and to everyone I touch."

* * *

"He's behaving remarkably well. What did you tell him?" Gaara asked Hinata, which made both of them laugh.

"Lord Rumoi's a fan, so Naruto doesn't want to offend him, I think," Hinata said. Her voice was calm, but she was still shaking inside.

God, he'd felt so good when she'd wrapped her arms around him. The warmth of him, his solid, steady presence so calming. All the while she had done it, she'd kept a refrain in her head: _He's a friend. He's a friend. Just a friend._

Repeating the phrase had helped her keep her cool, to keep thinking clearly about the mission, but she was still honest enough to admit that she had enjoyed every single minute of it. Even as she'd died with the embarrassment of it all, knowing it was so out of character for her, she'd continued to shamelessly press herself against his body. Hinata was only glad the darkness had hidden her uneasiness.

But it was one memory she could keep in her heart.

She hadn't expected to, but she'd loved Naruto's scent as she'd breathed him in. And she'd noticed the way he'd unconsciously tightened his arms around her waist when Lord Rumoi had approached them and had started speaking. It had taken all her willpower to keep up the act, to keep smiling at him when all she'd wanted to do was lay her cheek against his chest and just ask him to continue holding her.

But she was still working, and she'd kept her head. Lord Rumoi was one of the people Kakashi and Shikamaru had asked her to cultivate a friendship with. Rumoi was a businessman with contacts in all the other villages. He was also smart, with cutting edge ideas about shinobi tactics and strategies. They needed him, potentially as support for Konoha's future.

Luckily, he was also an admirer of Naruto, which was why Hinata had purposefully encouraged both of them to talk. As she'd suspected, Rumoi's interest in her was fleeting. She'd watched with satisfaction as his admiration for her died when he'd seen the way Naruto's arms had been around her body. But Rumoi's interest in Naruto and the beast he carried within him was infinite.

She was glad they were still talking. Naruto had heeded her plea, and he'd done his duty.

Hinata turned back to the Kazekage hoping to set him at ease, but she needn't have worried.

Gaara's normally stiff and polite demeanor was not evident. In the days she'd been in Suna, they found that they had compatible personalities. They both enjoyed being quiet and he'd found that he didn't need to talk so much when he was around her. She understood his need to think and to gather his thoughts before speaking.

He watched her smile at Naruto. "Should we go get them?"

She continued looking at the two men and nodded. "Yes, I think we should all go back now. Everyone will be wondering where we are. And I know they all want to see you, Kazekage-sama."

"Hinata," he said with slight reproof.

She laughed and shook her head at him. "I can't call you simply by your first name," she said. "No matter how much you insist."

He smiled at her, "Yet you can call a future Hokage by _his_ first name."

She blushed. "That's different."

"So it would seem."


	12. The Sand Siblings

**Chapter 12: The Sand Siblings**

Naruto slept fitfully that night, dreaming of warm things pressing against his chest. He woke up groggily, but the sun was already out in full. He had to hurry. Today, Gaara was taking all of the Konoha shinobi out to tour his village and the work they were doing around the countryside. He was looking forward to spending time with everyone.

After his talk with Rumoi last night, they'd gone back to the hall and he'd lost the chance to speak with any of the people he knew. They had all been scattered throughout the room. Hinata's attention had been immediately claimed by other people. Shikamaru had to talk to everyone who had questions about Konoha. Gaara had his duty as Kazekage, his siblings the same.

Out on his own, talking to so many people in the room, Naruto had to deal with the usual hero worship he'd met everywhere he went. Truthfully, he was tired of the constant adoration. It still reminded him of the time after his fight with Pain, of the sudden shift of people's perceptions of him, when he'd gone from being hated to being loved. Times like these, he always found himself flustered and uneasy, never knowing the truth. It made him question whether people's feelings towards him were sincere or not.

But it was probably one of those things he would need to figure out when he eventually became Hokage. Damn Kakashi-sensei and his foresight! The current Hokage knew exactly what he'd been planning when he'd scattered him and his friends all over the planet.

Naruto sighed. Again, achieving his dream was a lot more difficult than he'd imagined it would be. But, there were no shortcuts to life and to being Hokage, so he would just have to learn to do it. However, he began to appreciate it more when people took him for what he was and not some godlike creature to be worshipped.

And one of those people who knew his character so well and did _not_ worship him whatsoever was coming at him with a scowl on his face.

"You're late, you pain in the ass!"

Naruto muzzled his protest when he saw that everyone was already gathered. Hinata was waiting with a smile on her face. Gaara was there with his brother and sister. Temari had a hand on her hip and was tapping her fingers impatiently against her thigh.

"Don't ever keep us waiting _again_ ," she said.

Naruto felt a jolt. "Yes, ma'am!"

Shikamaru snorted with a laugh.

Temari pierced him with her green eyes, "Shikamaru, I'm holding you responsible for his behavior. He's part of your group."

Naruto swallowed his laughter as Shikamaru sputtered then turned to him with an evil glare. "See, you're such a pain in the ass! Causing me trouble even though it wasn't my fault."

Hinata grinned, but she said, "Good morning, Naruto."

He smiled at her, relieved that there was at least one friendly face in his corner this morning.

They all left and started walking towards the outer gates of Suna. Naruto got to see Gaara in action as Kazekage and found that all his people treated him with respect and devotion. He felt happy, seeing his friend regarded so well. He hoped someday he would be able to experience the same thing in Konoha.

When he'd first met Gaara years ago, there had been such intense hate in his eyes, but Naruto took solace in the hope that if Gaara could change even after living within the darkness for so long, then others could do the same. Sometimes, it only took time. Sometimes, it took another person to just recognize the pain and give a damn.

Naruto looked back and saw that Kankuro had fallen into step with Hinata and was flirting with her. She was nodding, her eyes gleaming with amusement at something he said.

He jogged back to join them.

"If you could, I'd really appreciate it," she was saying. "Two would be nice. But if you could spare more, I'd be your best friend."

Kankuro whistled. "I'm going to try to get you ten, then, because I'd like to be more than that!"

The hell? Naruto thought, not liking this conversation at all. What were they talking about?! But the two of them started giggling, and just like last night, Naruto felt like he was out of the loop somehow.

Why was everyone suddenly fawning all over Hinata?! Had she changed that much?!

He glanced surreptitiously at her. She'd gotten rid of her old, baggy, white and purple uniform. She was dressed now in the newer one, a more form-fitting type that she'd gotten just a year ago. Sure, it was different and he could clearly see the outline of her body. Okay, maybe more than the outline as he remembered that Hinata had really nice, soft breasts…

He flushed just as the two of them looked at him.

"Naruto, you okay?" Kankuro asked with a grin. He'd caught him looking at Hinata's chest and he could guess the direction of his thoughts.

Hinata was looking concerned. "If you're feeling hot, maybe you should take off your jacket?"

"No, I'm fine!" Naruto almost shouted. The last thing he needed was _fewer_ layers of clothing between the two of them. He was going to hold on to his jacket even if it killed him. He looked at Kankuro. "What are you getting her?"

Kankuro laughed. "Your emissary is so bloodthirsty, she wants knives."

"Knives?" Naruto gasped.

"Kankuro-sama!" Hinata said reproachfully. "I wish you wouldn't put it like that."

Gaara's older brother only chuckled.

She pursed her lips in a little disapproving frown, but she shook her head with a slight smile. She explained, "I was hoping he'd be able to get me some of the surgical knives that Sakura had mentioned a few months back. I wanted to get her and Ino, and maybe some of the medical corps, a few of them if it helps them do their work."

"I'm just kidding, Hinata. As our guest here in Suna, I'd be happy to get them for you," Kankuro said. He chucked her on the chin.

The smile she flashed at him was ecstatic. "Really?! Thank you!"

Kankuro's smile turned sly. "You owe me payment, though. I want a kiss!"

Naruto bristled. _Shit_. This was not what he wanted to see so early in the morning! And _Hinata_! Why was she allowing all this touching from Kankuro!? He was quickly discovering that he hated it when Hinata ignored him.

But Hinata stared at Kankuro, peered into his eyes, weighed his words, the sincerity and truth behind them. His smile lost its flirty vibe and she must have believed him because she leaned up to kiss Kankuro on the cheek.

"Ten surgical knives. I'll hold you to that promise, Kankuro-sama."

And Naruto lost it.

"You can't just go around kissing guys like that, Hinata!" he yelled.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her away from Kankuro and everyone else. Kankuro left them alone and started walking forward, whistling.

Hinata pulled back, though, dug her heels in, and simply looked at him with a puzzled look. "It wasn't a _kiss_."

He glared at her. "It was!"

She shook her head at him. "It was a peck on the cheek. That's it. Nothing else."

"Hinata, your lips were on his skin. It was a _kiss_." He didn't know why he couldn't let it go.

She stepped closer to him, looked him in the eyes. "Naruto, are you okay? Why are you so worked up about it?" Her voice was soft.

"I guess because Kankuro's here, you don't _need_ me today!" he yelled.

It came out more accusing than he'd intended. The hurt behind his words surprised both of them.

_Did he really just say that?_

He looked at her in complete shock. Embarrassment made him flush.

She drew back in surprise and then she paled. "Oh, Naruto, I'm so sorry!"

She then reached out and placed a hand in the middle of his chest.

At her touch, he suddenly found himself tongue-tied. He forgot what they were arguing about.

Hinata stepped closer. "Naruto, you're right! I forgot to apologize to you for using you so shamelessly yesterday. I didn't even say thank you for helping me out."

Tears of guilt were welling in her eyes, and Naruto suddenly felt like the biggest asshole in the world.

"Hinata, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that. You did nothing wrong!"

He searched frantically in his pockets. He located a handkerchief somewhere in his uniform and handed it to her. The warmth of her hand on his chest disappeared as it fell away when she'd accepted his handkerchief.

_Come back, hand,_ he wanted to say. But he waited for her to help him finish this conversation because he didn't know how else to continue. He was being an ass and didn't know how to get out of this situation with good grace.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said. She dabbed at her eyes. "I really _am_ sorry about last night. I basically manhandled you and you were so kind to help me deal with Lord Rumoi. Will you forgive me for using you? It was really selfish of me."

She was looking at him, her lavender eyes filled with so much sorrow and remorse. Naruto wanted to sink down into the earth and die.

Even Kurama was affected. _Nice job, jerk,_ came the low snarl from the beast.

He dropped down to his knees, planted his hands on the ground, and bowed his head until his forehead protector was touching the soil. This was all he could think to do.

"I'm sorry! Hinata, please don't look at me like that! I'm an ass! I'm a jerk! I'm dirt! I'm shit! I'm whatever you can think of right now that you need to stomp on and crush to the ground!"

Her startled laughter made his heart melt with relief and he glanced up to see her reaching to pull him up from his crouching position.

"Oh, Naruto," she said, the smile back on her face. Her hand was on his arm as he stood up. " _You_ did nothing wrong. I'm sorry you felt used last night."

He shook his head. "No, you needed me and asked for my help. I _wanted_ to help you last night. I'm sorry for getting mad at you for Kankuro. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

There was a rueful smile and a shake of her head. "I want to apologize again, but we're not going anywhere with this. Can we just say that we're good?"

"Okay!" he agreed vehemently and was glad when she nodded and gave him a sideways look filled with relief.

"Hurry up, you two! Don't make Gaara wait!" Temari's angry voice suddenly called out. Then she added, "Shikamaru! Get your people in check!"

"Dammit! Naruto!" came Shikamaru's disgruntled voice.

"I'm so sorry, Temari-sama!" Hinata replied as she glanced at them, a few yards away. She smiled at Naruto. "We better go! She's ready to pop a blood vessel."

They ran as quickly as they could and joined the group.

* * *

For the next three days, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Hinata entered the world of Suna politics. They saw the ways the Kazekage worked with his council and advisors, the way he treated the people he had under his care. They also managed to do a little bit of shinobi training as everyone in Suna came to watch Hinata show off her byakugan and taijutsu skills. Shikamaru also demonstrated the Nara clan's shadow-binding techniques to an audience.

Naruto, meanwhile, attracted everyone's attention because of his Nine-tails power and his rasengan. He loved that some of the older warriors had remembered seeing the Fourth Hokage using the same wind techniques. He was able to hear their stories and felt closer to his father after hearing about Minato's exploits even this far away from Konoha.

It reminded him again how small and how connected their world was.

Hinata, when not working, found herself hiding away from Naruto. She'd found that his outburst the day after the party had shaken her more than she wanted to admit.

Why had he been so angry with Kankuro's flirting? It didn't make sense...unless he was jealous of the Kazekage's older brother. But that would mean that Naruto would have at least some feelings for her to even feel something that strong.

She shook her head. No, she told herself with determination. It was all wishful thinking on her part.

She tamped down all the feelings of hope that rose in her, which she found hard every time she saw him and he smiled at her, completely normal. He never mentioned it again. They both decided to ignore his outburst and tried their best to pretend that it didn't happen.

And so the three Konoha shinobi found themselves heading home after the success they had in Suna. Hinata was grinning. In her arms, she carried a box filled with surgical knives. Kankuro had come through and given her _twenty_ of them. As soon as they got to the gates, though, Hinata's clan members greeted her with news that the Hyuugas needed her to deal with some business that she was in charge of.

She sighed, but she knew her duty. Hinata turned to Naruto and Shikamaru. "I have to go. I'll see you guys," she said with a wave.


	13. Two-Man Cell

**Chapter 13: Two-Man Cell**

Two weeks later, that same Hyuuga business brought her back to the Hokage's office.

"I've come to report that some members of the Hyuuga clan still refuse to let go of the enmity caused by my Uncle Hizashi's death. I've talked to the clan to stop harassing the visiting Kumo shinobi. I've gotten promises, but I haven't caught the culprits red-handed," Hinata said with a frustrated sigh. She wanted to cry with shame.

"I'm very sorry Shikamaru, Hokage-sama. I tried my best to talk to them, but they're so _stubborn_."

Kakashi smiled at her in sympathy. "Hinata, you're doing more than we asked you to do. You've nothing to apologize for. Shikamaru and I are working on that. The Kumo shinobi haven't been complaining to us, though. It's not outright evil that's being done, it's glares and menacing stares, mostly."

"Even still, I feel sorrow for it. I don't want Hanabi to deal with this in the future so I want to nip it in the bud now," she protested.

"Rest easy, Hinata," Kakashi said. "We might have something that could work."

He looked at the invitation on his desk and handed it to her. She glanced at it with a frown but after a few minutes, she said, "I'll do it!"

Kakashi laughed. "I knew you would jump at the chance."

"Hinata, are you sure you're up for this?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes," she said calmly. "It needs to be done. It's a test of our commitment. We need to do this to move forward. Otherwise, this might still come up in the future and sour relations with _both_ villages."

Kakashi gazed at her thoughtfully. "I wanted to run this with you first and make sure you're willing to go through this before I even broached the subject to your father."

"I'll do it," she said again, more determined than before.

"And we're sending you to Kumo with another trump card," Shikamaru added with a smirk. "In fact, I can hear him now."

Hinata's heart dropped, but she kept the expression on her face calm. She felt hot, but at least she wasn't blushing as much as she used to.

Outside in the hall, a loud, obnoxious voice was saying, "Sai! I told you to leave it alone already! Why do you keep bringing it up all the time?!"

Sai's cool voice answering with, "I can't now, can I? You _smell_ , Naruto. I mean, really, who chases people into a barn filled with animals without checking?"

They could imagine Sai shaking his head in disbelief.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," Kakashi said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Shikamaru, Hinata, brace yourselves."

In walked Naruto, disheveled and spattered with all kinds of animal shit, followed two feet away by Sai, nose wrinkled, and a frown on his normally calm face.

Shikamaru coughed, blinked back tears, then gagged. "Oh, my god!"

Hinata chuckled, held her breath, walked over to the nearest window, and opened it wide. Air rushed into the office, easing the oppressive smell of manure.

"Thank you, Hinata," Kakashi said. He looked at Naruto. "I hope you caught the guy with all the shit you had to go through."

"Funny, Hokage-sama," Naruto said. He smiled brightly at Hinata when she finally came closer to where he stood.

"Hinata, _this_ is our trump card," Shikamaru said, pinching his nostrils.

A slimy brown blob slithered down Naruto's uniform and landed with an audible splat on the Hokage's floor.

"I told you we should have stopped by the onsen first," Sai said.

* * *

They left two days later for Kumo. At the gates, Shikamaru met them before they were off, a firm hand gripping Naruto's shoulder.

"You have _one_ job, Naruto. _One_ job, only: Do _not_ embarrass Konoha. You think you can do that?" Shikamaru had said with a pleading look on his face.

"I _beg_ you, Naruto," Kakashi, the Hokage, had actually said. "Don't do anything that will screw this up for Hinata and the village."

"That's it. Just a simple request. _Please_ ," Shikamaru said.

Naruto humphed, completely offended by their lack of faith. He could be dignified, he could behave. Was he really _that_ bad? And then he realized he was going to Kumo to meet up with Killer Bee—and when the two of them got together they tended to get carried away and create havoc. He grinned to himself. Shikamaru and Kakashi had a reason to be worried then.

Still smiling, he glanced at Hinata. She was looking down, a frown on her face, obviously thinking of something. For some reason, he was glad they were on this mission together.

This will be the first time Hinata was setting foot in Kumo. Because Naruto had been to the village before, his job was to help guide Hinata on this mission.

The Raikage was celebrating his fifty-fifth birthday, which was a special day for the people of his village. He had invited Kakashi to the ceremony.

Instead of Kakashi, though, Hinata was there to represent Konoha. Mainly, her appearance was to show everyone that Konoha had forgiven Kumo's attempt to kidnap her all those years ago. This was to put to rest the troubled past and to solidify the alliance that the two nations had.

It had taken a lot of maneuvering, but Hinata and her father had managed to convince their family to support Kakashi's request. Though there had been protests from some of their critics, the Hyuuga clan had mostly agreed to it. The Hokage had asked, and Hinata was going in his stead to represent Konoha in such a high-profile event. It was not only an honor for The Leaf, but it was also a mark of prestige for her clan, too.

"Hinata, we trust you, but you still need to be careful, okay?" Shikamaru had told her. The four of them were standing in the office after Kakashi had just explained to Naruto why Hinata was being sent to the Village of the Cloud.

"We don't want the byakugan falling into the wrong hands."

Hinata had smiled at him, the expression on her face rueful. Her eyes were slightly chiding. "Shikamaru, this is exactly _why_ I need to go to Kumo. I'll be careful, of course, but I think you guys are overestimating the want for these eyes."

She then slanted her lavender eyes at Naruto, who held her gaze. She then turned and smiled at the Hokage and his assistant. "I think I'll be fine. You both have me covered in your choice of a bodyguard."

* * *

"I'm not really your bodyguard, you know," Naruto told her with chagrin as they set off on their journey. "I don't think anyone will attempt anything while we're together."

Hinata felt lightning zing through her. _While we're together.._.

And it was just going to be the two of them on the trip there. Three days and nights she would have Naruto all to herself. What was she going to do?! She was panicking inside, but she was determined to hold on to her composure even as she worried for her heart. Hinata had a feeling that this trip was going to be the death of her, that he would somehow worm himself more firmly into her being.

_Okay, snap out of it!_

Hinata suddenly snorted at herself. She was being overly dramatic about the whole thing, she told herself firmly. Didn't the past year and a half teach her anything about being confident? That she had skills to rely on and didn't need to fall apart every time they were alone together?

She was no longer that shy seventeen-year-old girl anymore. She was Hinata, a Konoha emissary representing the Hokage, the Hyuuga clan. She remembered the faith that Kakashi and Shikamaru had in her, and she felt her confidence rising back in her. She was strong, cool, and assured.

Besides, they were just friends, her and Naruto. Two shinobi on a mission. She had to remember that.

Hinata smiled at him then said, "You're right. From his invitation, the Raikage wanted you to go to Kumo. Killer Bee also sent a request for you. You'll be a guest at the celebration, while I am Kakashi's representative."

Naruto's bright smile appeared. "A guest! The Raikage actually _wanted_ me to attend? He's being very nice, considering me and Bee together always seemed to rile him up."

Hinata laughed, too. This was good. _Friendly_ chatter. She could do this.

And Hinata used her skills to get him talking.

On their voyage there, Naruto spent the time reminiscing about Killer Bee and telling Hinata all about his experience at Kumo while he'd been training to get Kurama under control. He told her about fighting the inner demons lurking within him, the ones he'd encountered at the Waterfall of Truth.

Though he'd kept his tone light, Hinata heard the emotional toll it had taken on him. She wished she could have been there to lend a supporting and friendly hand.

During one of the nights they'd camped, he told her about meeting his mother through her chakra. Hinata loved hearing him talk about his mother and was happy he'd been willing to share with her his memories of Kushina. He spoke of his mother's youth, of her growing up as an outsider in Konoha, and of how she'd fallen in love with Minato.

As he talked, his love for his mother vibrated through every fiber of his being, in the smile on his face, in the timber of his voice, in the lights dancing in his eyes as he looked off into the distance.

When he was done talking, he finally glanced at her and was startled to see Hinata in tears and pressing a hand to her chest.

She gave a teary chuckle. "I'm sorry Naruto. I'm being sappy, I know, but I just love hearing you talk about her. I wish I could've met her. She sounds like a very beautiful soul."

She sniffled into the hanky he'd handed her and she realized this was the second time he'd done that in the last few weeks. She kept silent, loathe to remind him of the last time he'd lost his temper with her.

"She's very beautiful, my mother," he said with pride and a small laugh.

Hinata sighed, wishing someday, somebody would speak of her the way Naruto had just done about his mother. She looked up to find his blue gaze on her. "Well, you're very handsome, so it makes sense."

The stark silence that greeted her statement made her suddenly realize what she'd just blurted out. He was blinking rapidly at her, his face was turning pink, but a smile filled with pleasure was forming on his lips.

_She_ was red, she knew. Hinata squeaked in panic and did the one thing she thought she'd never do in front of him ever again. Her pointer fingers came up to the triangle position and tapped against each other. She held his gaze as best as she could, but she copped out a couple of times and had to look down.

She looked at him again and tried to cover for her unsolicited compliment. "What I mean is that, ever since the war ended, you've got all these women admiring you. I've seen the way they look at you…"

He was blushing, but he was still looking at her in amazement.

_Oh, god._ Hinata thought. _Gah! Why the hell did she say that?!_ It sounded like she'd been constantly watching other women looking at him.

Still, he was smiling, but his hand was rubbing the back of his head, he was clearly embarrassed. He'd obviously heard her and there was no way she could backtrack now. She decided to throw caution to the winds. It was done, the words were out of her, and they were the truth, so the only thing she could do was move forward.

"But I always thought you were handsome, you know," she admitted in a rush, her face pink, her pointer fingers rapidly tapping at each other. "Even _before_ the war."

If anything, he flushed even redder. "Uh, thanks!" he finally said. "You might be the only one who thinks that, Hinata. That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me."

"Really?! That can't be true!" She looked at him aghast. "Doesn't _everyone_ think you're handsome?"

He finally laughed, dispelling the awkwardness of the situation. "Yeah, right!" he said, still chuckling. "Tell that to Sakura and Ino!"

She laughed, too, then, relieved that he'd accepted her compliment. "Well, to _me_ , you are!"

Hinata looked at him smiling at her, the glow of the fire reflecting off his golden hair and bright eyes. She was glad she'd told him the truth in her heart. It would be so easy to tell him again that she loved him, but she knew it wouldn't be right. She knew she looked foolish, just smiling at him, but these moments with him might never happen again so she just enjoyed them for what they were.

And if she was old and alone, she would replay these memories and remember he'd smiled at her once, with such a tender look on his face.

* * *

_You're very handsome._

_To_ me _, you are._

Naruto continued smiling at her, feeling pleasure flow within him as he soaked in her compliment.

He flinched suddenly as he felt Kurama prick him with a sharp claw.

"Idiot! Don't just sit there! You might want to say something nice about her, too."

_Right, Kurama!_ he thought.

Something nice about Hinata. Nice…

Breasts.

_Damn, not that one._

Naruto grunted in pain as Kurama clawed at him again. "Tch! Dumbass!"

_Give me a second! I'm thinking!_

"Hinata, you're very easy to talk to," he suddenly blurted out and he heard Kurama's rumble of approval. Hinata's face glowed with the strength of her happiness, making him feel so relieved that he'd hit upon the perfect compliment for her.

"Thanks, Naruto," she said. "I'm glad you think that."

And he realized he'd meant it. She had an easy way about her that made him feel restful, that when she was silent, he didn't need to jump in and say anything. She picked up a lot of what he _meant_ to say, and not always focused on _what_ he was saying.

The fact that he'd shared with her his memories of his mother had surprised him. He hadn't meant to do it, but she'd asked lots of questions about his previous trip to Kumo and he'd suddenly found himself talking freely about his first time there. He realized he'd never told anyone about it. It was the first time he'd ever talked about his mother with a person.

She looked happy as she sighed, just sitting there and looking at the fire. Sometimes she would look at him, or up in the sky, all without talking, and he realized that she was very comfortable in silence, that she was used to just letting things be as they were meant to be.

Hinata was so different from the other girls, especially when compared to Sakura and Ino. The two were constantly bantering with each other and loved to tease and make fun of him. Sakura nagged him like an older sister. When he heard Kiba complain about his older sister, he thought it seemed the same. Plus, Sakura had grown up self-assured because of her intelligence, and it was clear in her confident demeanor.

Ino, meanwhile, was beautiful and she _knew_ it. She liked to flirt with everyone; she was so friendly to both men _and_ women. Ino also worked in her family's flower shop, putting her into contact with lots of customers, which helped her become a people person.

In contrast, Hinata had been sheltered and had a strict family—decidedly different from the way Ino and Sakura had been raised. This made her very quiet and shy. He knew about her rough childhood. He'd heard all about it from Kiba and Shino, and even sometimes from Neji.

He looked at her now, sitting across from him, the fire separating them. She still had her index fingers pressed together in that triangle. Naruto saw clearly that her nervous tick, which he still found weird, was a way for her to calm herself. He couldn't imagine Ino and Sakura doing that, but it was adorable when Hinata did it.

"Does it really help calm you when you do that?" he suddenly asked.

She glanced down and realized that she was caught in the act. She froze.

Curious, Naruto mimicked her and formed a triangle with his own index fingers. He pressed them together several times but frowned when all he felt was a twinge of pain as his fingers stretched backwards. He didn't feel calm at all, but he continued doing it anyway, staring at the point where his two pointer fingers met.

There was the sound of smothered laughter. He looked up to meet her gaze.

"Do I really look like that when I do it?" she asked, amusement and embarrassment mingled in her expression. Her hand was covering her mouth, but her eyes were finally merry.

"I don't know," he said with a grin, but he knew that for him, this nervous tick would forever be etched into his memory as uniquely Hinata's.

His eyes filled with mischief, he tapped his fingers again while looking at her, and she laughed freely this time.

"Oh, god!" she groaned.

They sat laughing for a while until they looked up and saw that the stars were twinkling and the moon was out. They had an early day tomorrow.

"Time for bed, I think," Naruto said, and he was filled with regret. He wanted to spend more time talking with her, but they still had a hard journey to Kumo. They needed the rest.

He looked at her. She was sitting on a log, more relaxed as she'd given up her nervous tick. Her elbows were on her knees now, one hand supporting a cheek as she smiled at him. Her long hair slid from her shoulders and framed her face, her shining lavender eyes.

Naruto realized with surprise that he was in the presence of one of the most beautiful women he'd ever known. He suddenly wanted to reach out to touch Hinata on the cheek.

He must have moved to do so because she abruptly stood up.

"Okay, good-night, Naruto!" she said as she quickly ran to her tent.

He shook his head, but he was still smiling. Man, some things never changed. She was still weird, and she still could _run_.


	14. Kumo

**Chapter 14: Kumo**

The first person they saw when they got to Kumo was Chouji, his big frame standing at the village gates. Beside him, Karui, Omoi, and Samui also waited.

"Naruto! Hinata!" came his booming, jolly voice.

"Chouji! What are you doing here?" Naruto asked with surprise.

"What?! Shikamaru didn't tell you guys that I was sent ahead?" he asked with a pout.

"Hi, Chouji," Hinata said with a smile. She turned to the Kumo shinobi beside him. "Karui! You're looking wonderful. I haven't seen you in months! Not since you guys came last time to Konoha."

"Hinata!" Karui said. "Y _ou're_ looking lovely as always!"

Hinata waved the compliment away as she proceeded to hug Karui and Omoi. The aloof Samui only accepted a brief kiss on her cheek.

Naruto was looking at all of them in puzzlement. Again, he was left feeling bereft, until he remembered that Kakashi had mentioned the intermingling of the villages as the main purpose of these missions. This was what he'd meant. While Naruto had been away, the Kumo shinobi had visited Konoha and had formed friendships. Hinata and Chouji had clearly been the ones who'd guided the three in their trips to The Leaf.

"Yo, Hinata! Yo, Naruto! Welcome to Kumo! Make your eyes glow!"

Everyone groaned, but Naruto laughed as he heard the terrible rap lines and turned to see Killer Bee striding up to greet them.

"Octopops!" he yelled with happiness. "Ready to go is Naruto! My shinobi crew in tow. Don't you know?"

There was a snicker from Chouj and Karui. Hinata's hand was covering her mouth.

Killer Bee looked at Naruto impassively then he whipped out his notebook and muttered, "Shinobi crew, don't you know…" as he wrote the lines down.

He held out a fist to Naruto, who answered with his own. The two men smiled at each other.

Killer Bee then looked at Hinata. "Pretty girl, thanks for coming to Kumo."

* * *

They all walked through the town on their way to the Raikage's hall, and all around them, Hinata could hear people talking about her, straining to catch a glimpse of her. The kidnapping attempt during her youth should have been a secret. Not many people knew of it, but rumors had flown over the years and it had become a sort of urban legend. But here she was, a Hyuuga with a byakugan in the land of Kumo, the bogeyman in the flesh.

Though she'd known what she'd been required to do on this mission, she still felt uneasy being the focus of so much curious attention. Unconsciously, she found herself stepping closer to Naruto until she was almost tripping him.

"Sorry," she said with a flush as she bumped into him for the hundredth time.

"Hm?" he said. Then he took one look at the tiny frown on her face and held out his arm. "Here," was all he said.

And Hinata felt herself melting at Naruto's gallant gesture, wrapping an arm around his firmer one. They continued walking and Hinata forgot about her anxiety as people continued to observe her and her fellow shinobi. Somehow, his solid presence beside her distilled every anxiety she was feeling. She floated, loving him and his instinctive act to help her out.

Killer Bee glanced at the slender arm on Naruto's, the glow of love on her face, and the clueless look on the boy's face. He shook his head. He then rapped a beat in his head: _Damn, ninja Naruto! You're the worst Romeo! So dense, so fucking slow. Get with the flow._

Bee's eight-tailed beast, Gyuuki, addressed Kurama in the psychological plane they shared. _Your boy's got shit for brains._

_Ugh, don't remind me!_

_How long has it been?_

_She's loved him for years._

_That long?! He could be lying on a bed, naked with this girl, but he's still this dense?_

_Not even sure he knows what to do when he gets her naked on a bed._

The two beasts laughed.

Naruto felt the rumble but ignored it. He couldn't hear Gyuuki and Kurama clearly, but he knew they were making fun of him. He was talking to Omoi about the Raikage's party for tonight. Omoi was looking gloomy and Naruto was trying to get him to see the merits of having a nice party to celebrate life.

"When I'm _that_ old, I hope to be alive, you know, and Hokage. My friends will be there and I'm going to celebrate my birthday party for _days_ ," Naruto said.

Omoi sighed. "I don't think I have that many friends, or that I'll even live past this year, much less get to fifty-five."

Naruto huffed. "God, you're so depressing!"

Killer Bee looked down at Hinata, who was smiling now.

She tried to take her arm off Naruto's. He glanced down at her, then he placed his other hand over hers, telling her without any words to keep her hand where it was.

He turned back to Omoi and said, "Cheer up, Omoi! Don't get so down. It's a party for the Raikage, after all! It will be _fun_!"

Hinata smiled at him and did as he asked. She couldn't stop looking at her arm around his and his other hand laying over hers. It was warm and reassuring.

Bee saw the silent exchange and nodded in approval.

"Pretty girl, you worried?" he asked Hinata.

"Oh, Killer Bee-sama! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you concerned for me!" Hinata said with apology when she looked up. She smiled at him.

"I'm not worried at all about being here in Kumo. I'm just a little overwhelmed by the attention. It always happens the first time I'm in a new place, but I usually get over it. In fact, I'm feeling a lot better now."

Bee smiled. "Yeah, I know. The lights are back in your eyes."

Hinata laughed. "That's beautiful. Maybe you can add that to your rap?"

"Already did! Check it out: Hinata Hyuuga with the byakugan eyes, your happy smile, my big prize! It's the truth, so hide your surprise!"

* * *

The Raikage, older but still impressive in his muscular form, met them with a lot of pomp and thanked Hinata for coming. The Konoha and Kumo shinobi all talked about the missions that they'd been on the last year and a half. Everyone agreed that it had all been a good idea to make sure that the villages were exchanging information and visiting with each other.

The memories of the Great War were talked about. Throughout it, Naruto did his best to smile even as he felt the spurt of grief, remembering the people he'd lost. He sighed, wishing the ache would ease, but it always lingered.

Hinata's eyes found him just as he was struggling to stay positive. She smiled at him and he suddenly felt lighter.

The structural problems that never seem to leave the shinobi world were being discussed now. But there was hope that the mingling of cultures was bringing people closer together.

It wasn't until later that the Raikage dismissed everyone.

"Business is finished. Now it's time to party!" he said with a gruff laugh.

Everyone left quickly.

After that, they had all changed for the party, except for Naruto who insisted on keeping his mission gear on. He wanted to preserve the illusion that he was still working.

He'd promised Shikamaru and Kakashi that he wouldn't embarrass Konoha, and especially Hinata. By remaining in his uniform, he knew he wouldn't be able to forget himself and go all out, particularly as he watched Killer Bee take another swig of sake and belt another line into the microphone. Naruto resisted the urge to cover his ears.

Thank goodness the party was held outdoors, out on the beach, so the sound of terrible karaoke didn't do much damage to people's hearing. This beach was the Raikage's favorite place in the world. There was music and lights. The atmosphere was relaxed, considering the Raikage was the kind of person that he was.

Naruto was talking to a shinobi from Kumo, but he was trying to keep his eye out for Hinata. The last time he'd seen her was a few hours ago when they were talking with the Raikage.

When she showed up at the beach, his heart dropped. She saw him, smiled, gave him a little wave but headed first toward the Raikage. The older man took her hand in his and raised his voice:

"I would like to thank Hinata Hyuuga of Konoha for gracing us tonight. She represents the Hokage and is my honored guest. Kumo and Konoha, together here. I hope that our alliance continues to endure the test of time."

There was polite clapping.

Then the Raikage found Naruto's eyes through the crowd and announced, "And of course, Konoha's Naruto Uzumaki is here as an honored guest, too."

All eyes swiveled to him. Naruto wanted to sink into the sand, hating the attention, but he only smiled at everyone, hoping he didn't look as sick as he was feeling inside.

Killer Bee chose that moment to perform one of his songs, making Naruto melt with relief when everyone turned to watch him murder the lyrics. Drinks started flowing more rapidly as everyone's attention moved away from the Raikage, who stood talking to Hinata. They were then joined by other guests who looked dignified and important.

Naruto, meanwhile, was irritated. He didn't know how to get rid of this woman, who'd come up to him when the Raikage had pointed him out. She was going on and on about her plans for the rest of the night. His mouth was tired from trying to keep the smile on his face.

"My place is close by," she was saying as she touched the zipper on his uniform. "If you wanted to change into something more comfortable, my brother left some clothes that you could borrow if you want. You look a little warm in this jacket."

"I'm fine," he said, trying to keep his annoyance from showing as she kept up her chatter.

He wanted to watch Hinata in peace as she worked. His quick glances at her indicated she was fine, though. She smiled and listened to everyone, giving the people around her due attention. They were beaming at her as she nodded and talked, her eyes latching on to the speaker's in that earnest expression she always had. She looked composed as she spoke with all these high-ranking officials from all the other villages.

Instead, Naruto had to spend his time with a stranger who wouldn't stop touching him. He sighed inwardly, but he didn't have the heart to be rude. He didn't want to leave the impression that Konoha shinobi were ill-mannered.

* * *

Hinata took a sip from the drink one of the dignitaries handed her. Her eyes widened, appreciating how good it tasted. It was different from champagne she'd had before. She took another swallow from her flute.

"Yes," the man from Kiri was telling her. "The Raikage has been sending us some shinobi to help out with our ANBU force, just to show us some new techniques. Do you think you can talk to your Hokage about doing the same thing?"

"I will, Lord Yoicihi, but I can't make you any promises," Hinata said, falling back on her standard responses for situations like these.

The gentleman nodded. "Fair enough. But do let us know if Kakashi-sama can spare the personnel."

He glanced at her empty glass and handed her another one with a grin. "Be careful with these! They're really good, but quite strong. Go easy on them. The last time I was here, I overindulged."

Hinata smiled. "I don't really drink, so that's good to know. I'll be careful."

She took another sip of her champagne and scanned the crowd for Naruto. He was talking to his own group, surrounded by lots of women. She tamped down a feeling of annoyance. It was only natural, she thought. He looked handsome in his uniform, so he stood out in a sea of men who wore informal clothing. Still, though, that didn't mean she was happy to see women fawning all over him like that.

She continued listening and chatting for a few more minutes with the people beside her while she kept an eye out on Naruto. There was a woman with wavy brown hair and blue eyes who was particularly pushy. She was flirting aggressively with Naruto, reaching up to touch his hair, patting him on the chest and arm.

Hinata released a breath and turned back to Lord Yoicihi. She kept the pleasant expression on her face, kept talking to the representatives from Kiri who were now joined by more people Iwa. She knew her duty, of course. She was still working, but she couldn't help her eyes as they continually drifted towards Naruto.

Another glass replaced her empty champagne flute. Hinata hid her surprise. She didn't realize she'd already finished her second glass.

Still, she calmly discussed politics, talked about the daimyos and their inability to make decisions, expounded upon policies that hopefully would improve the plight of the poor, conversed about the social programs that different villages were implementing—all while watching Naruto and the woman who never left his side.

Finally, when Hinata couldn't stand it anymore, she drained the little bit in her glass, made her excuses as gracefully as she could, and started walking towards him.

_Really!_ Whoever this girl hanging on his arm was, she needed to go away.

A sultry whisper, then a giggle assaulted Hinata's ears as she got closer to them.

"Naruto, seriously, wouldn't you feel better if you took off your jacket?" Hinata heard the woman say in a husky voice.

Oh, _hell_ no.

They were close enough now that she could see Naruto frowning at the woman. It was only a moment, but Hinata subtly activated her byakugan and touched the woman on the arm, putting slight pressure on one of her sensitive chakra points. It briefly immobilized the woman and prevented her from reaching out to touch Naruto again. The arm fell down limply to her side.

Her own sudden pettiness shocked Hinata. She didn't know she had it in her to be this wicked.

It sobered her enough to quickly deactivate her byakugan and release the jutsu on the woman before anybody could notice.

_What the hell was she doing?!_

Hinata cursed inwardly. It must be the drinks. She'd had _three_. She needed to calm down. She was still working and she couldn't believe she was willing to use her byakugan to do harm to this poor woman.

But there was something about the way the woman was hovering over Naruto that provoked her temper.

"Hey, Ran," Hinata said quickly, trying to cover up her guilt and embarrassment for her attack on the woman. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was you from far away. I couldn't see you clearly."

Ran blinked at her, recovering, but still unaware of what had happened.

"Hi, Hinata. I haven't se—"

"Hinata!" Naruto said with obvious relief at her coming to interrupt them. "Are you done talking to everyone?"

_Oh, good,_ she thought with relief. He hadn't noticed she'd used her byakugan on Ran.

"Naruto, you want to go somewhere else more quiet?" Hinata said, ignoring Ran, who was still looking confused.

"Yeah," he quickly replied.

So Hinata grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the water, putting as much distance between them and the aggressive flirt, away from the noise of the party.

* * *

Naruto could only gaze at Hinata with wonder when they stopped. They were standing by the water's edge. He could hear the waves lapping at the shore.

Hinata just seemed to keep changing, always surprising him.

Tonight, she was wearing a red strapless dress, her shoulders bare and exposed. Her hair was swept up in a high ponytail, leaving her graceful neck exposed as well. The dress hugged her upper body but flared off at her waist and fell to above her knees. Around her tiny waist, a thick, black belt was wrapped. He could see the muscles of her calves, tanned and toned, peeking just under the skirt. She wore no shoes as he saw her tiny feet in the sand.

He remembered Kankuro's words again: _Wow_.

She looked different from when she was at Suna, but she was still working on this diplomatic mission, wasn't she?

"Naruto," she said with a smile when she finally turned to face him. "Are you enjoying yourself? You looked like you weren't. Sorry I took you away from the party, from Ran."

He hadn't realized he'd been frowning so he smiled at her. "Oh, no, don't worry about it. Truthfully, I'm glad you came and got me out of that situation."

She blushed and looked flustered. She wasn't meeting his eyes as usual, and her gaze slid away from his, coming to light upon a figure approaching them. She then grabbed a couple of glasses from the passing waiter and handed one to him.

He took it from her, but he didn't take a drink. He was still working.

She, however, took a sip and sighed. "You should try this. This is so good! This is my third? Maybe my fourth one?"

Naruto glanced at her suspiciously. Hinata was looking flushed and there was a slight glaze over her eyes.

"Hinata, are you drunk?!"

She laughed. "I don't think so... Well, at least, I hope not very."

He frowned at her. She seemed okay, though. Instead, he asked, "Wait, what happened to your kimono?"

"Kimono?" she asked and then her face cleared up in understanding.

"I don't wear a kimono everywhere I go, Naruto. I usually try to fit the dress standards of the places I go to. Suna is usually more formal, so I have to wear a kimono there. Here in Kumo, they're more casual. I borrowed this dress from Samui. She told me we were the same size."

They both glanced at Samui, the cool, blond beauty was dressed in a long, flowing black gown that started at her shoulders and ended at her feet. But in the middle of the dress, a long slit bisected the front, starting with a flaring, opened V that barely covered her generous breasts and ended right where her belly-button was.

"I'm so glad she had this one," Hinata leaned in closer and whispered with embarrassment. "Would you believe that this dress was the most conservative thing she had in her closet? Everything else had slits and holes where I never dreamed to put them."

Naruto gulped and blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the sudden image of Hinata in a dress with holes and slits in various places.

"But this dress is nice isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah," he said, desperate to keep his eyes from wandering below her neck. He could smell again her unique scent of apples and cinnamon. His collar suddenly felt hot around his neck. He'd never realized how hot his uniform could get until he'd been around Hinata so much.

As Naruto gazed at her upturned face, he suddenly felt the urge to kiss her.

_Wait, where the hell did that thought come from?!_

She was a _friend_. People just don't go around kissing their friends.

On the lips. He glanced down at her face again. Hers were glistening and pink.

There was a snicker from Kurama. _"Oh? Why don't you ask Sasuke?_ He's _a friend."_

_Shut up, Kurama! I'm talking about kissing Hinata._

"Hmm. Sounds like the better option."

_Shut up. And get the hell out of my thoughts. This is private._

"Tch. No such thing."

_Shut up!_

Kurama left him alone, but not before he said. "Do it."

Instead, Naruto did nothing, only kept his gaze on her face, kept staring at her because he didn't know what else to do, until Hinata suddenly gasped. He saw her eyes widen and then she shook her head as if to clear it.

Then she smiled at him gently, her eyes were clearer now, but a shadow dimming some of their lights.

She brought him back to their earlier conversation. "Yes, Samui was very very kind, but I wouldn't wear this dress in Konoha. Since nobody knows me here, it's okay. Just this one night."

"Aren't you working? What about the diplomatic stuff?"

Hinata tilted her head to the side and looked at him with a small smile. "Yes, and no. I'm only here to mingle and talk to people, but no negotiations or anything. My job is to just be seen."

And she _was_ being seen. He'd caught so many people, especially the guys, looking at her chest. He wanted to take off his jacket and wrap it around her.

Instead, he continued looking at her. She was staring out into the sea now, twirling the glass in her hand, her gaze pensive, almost sad.

He didn't want to break the silence, so he did the same and looked out into the water. All around them, the party was still out in force. Bee was rapping now, encouraged by an entourage with their drunken cheering and clapping. And the Raikage was there, too, shouting along.

He heard Karui's dismayed cry of "Raikage-sama!"

Naruto laughed and looked at Hinata. There was a smile on her face, too.

"Do you think these missions really will help us in the future?" he asked her.

She glanced at him then looked back out into the sea. She took another sip of her drink and nodded. "I think we're building the foundation to avoid another catastrophe in the future. Don't you think?"

She looked at Chouji talking to Karui, his face close to hers, eyes glued to hers. Then Karui was laughing at something Chouji said.

Hinata tore her eyes away from the couple and turned back to Naruto. "The more we all spend time with people from different villages, we deepen our connections and discover what we have in common. This is what we're doing with our missions. This is the future we all fought for during the war, the future for _everyone_. We're all invested in it."

She was quiet for a moment then she looked down. She bent down to pick up a tiny rock and placed it in his hand.

"For every small gesture we do, it always reverberates and becomes greater than us. Just think of my kidnapping. It caused my uncle to die, caused Neji to hate, to his redemption when he met you, and finally to his choice of freedom. Which is why we're standing here, sharing peace with Kumo."

She smiled. "Every small thing can lead to something bigger."

Naruto closed his hand on the pebble and thought of Iruka and his first words of recognition, the path that had led him to his destiny and agreed. He smiled, too. "Hinata, you're so wise."

She gave a merry peal of laughter. She shook her head. "No, I'm not! There are some things I wish I could change, but I don't think I'll ever become wise."

She looked at him, her eyes deep lavender pools.

* * *

_If I were wise, I wouldn't love you this long without expecting anything back_ , she thought.

Hinata was stone-cold sober, doing her best to keep her tone light and to make sure what she was saying made sense. Forcing herself to marshall her thoughts kept her calm and prevented her from freaking out.

For one breathless second, she'd seen an expression on Naruto's face that had filled her with hope, that maybe he would lean down and finally kiss her as he'd gazed at her lips for a long moment. But when he hadn't, the stark reality of his rejection had brought her crashing back to earth.

They were friends. He wouldn't do anything like that if thought of her only as a friend. She had to remember that. With enormous effort, she'd pulled herself back from tipsiness to alert consciousness.

She sighed inwardly. Liquid courage had its limits. The drinks had eased her nervousness around him, had helped her converse properly, but she wished she'd gone beyond that and done more...maybe leaned into him again...

_What if…?_

"Naruto, I—"

But Naruto and Hinata were suddenly distracted by a shout of "Fireworks!" as they heard the whizz of rockets shooting up into the air and the explosion of lights into the night sky.

The flare of floral patterns flashed among the stars and Naruto and Hinata got caught up in the moment as all around them people oohed and ahhed and cheered.

When it was over, the Raikage stood up shakily on a dais, a bottle of sake in his hand.

His gruff voice rang out strong and clear into the night: "Thank you for coming! Fifty-five is a great age to be alive! I hope to live a long prosperous life! Here's to our lasting peace!"

Hinata sighed. She'd missed her chance.

Naruto smiled at her, a question in his eyes. He was holding up his drink.

She smiled back at him. They clinked their glasses and took a drink.

Peace, indeed.

"Thanks for keeping me company while I took a break, Naruto," she said. "I have to go back to work now."

"Okay," he replied.

Hinata gave him one last smile and left him standing on the beach.

She shook her head. No more alcohol for her. It made her do stupid things, like imagining something that wasn't there. She thought he'd wanted to kiss her, that maybe she'd heard regret in his voice as she walked away from him.

**Author's Notes:**

Okay, I just want to apologize to all the professional rappers out there.

I cannot bust a rhyme to save my life :)


	15. A Bottle of Sake

**Chapter 15: A Bottle of Sake**

A few months later, Naruto found himself holding a small sake cup as the Kazekage poured him a drink.

"Thanks, Gaara!" Naruto said with a grin.

"Happy birthday, Naruto," Gaara said.

Their cups met and both of them took a sip.

Gaara sighed and nodded his head.

They were finally meeting, years after the war, for that promised sharing of sake they had talked about during their fight against Obito. It was a private pub, closed only to the Kazekage and his honored guest. The sake pub owner had been ecstatic to shut down his shop and reserve it for the current Kazekage and the future Hokage. Tonight would be the stuff of legends.

Though they lamented the time it had taken them to finally meet like this, both Gaara and Naruto were still happy to be able to get it done. It was even more significant that today was Naruto's twenty-first birthday.

Gaara had just been simply too busy as Kazekage. Suna also had fewer resources than Konoha, so it had taken them longer to rebuild their village. Naruto, meanwhile, had been just as busy in his travels all over the world. But he was finally going home, and this was going to be his last stop before he headed back to Konoha.

The message from Kakashi was tucked inside his backpack.

_Everyone's back. We're just waiting for you._

After two long years of traveling, of visiting places he'd never been to before, of meeting different kinds of people, he was finally going to be able to go home for good. While he was able to learn a lot during these missions, what he understood was that he loved Konoha and loved being a shinobi of the Leaf.

He looked at his friend, at Gaara smiling at him with such a calm expression on his face. Despite the distance between their two villages, they still shared a connection and a bond.

Naruto took a sip of his own sake and sighed. He liked it, but he needed to be careful. It was very good sake, but he knew his limits. He chuckled, thinking of Rock Lee and _his_ limits.

"What is it?" Gaara asked, still with a smile on his face.

"I was just thinking of Lee, that time he drank sake by mistake thinking it was medicine and developed a whole new fighting style."

Gaara remembered, too, and he laughed as well. "Such a long time ago!"

The Kazekage took another drink. "We've come a long way since then, haven't we, Naruto?"

From mortal enemies, to fellow vessels of tailed beasts, to shinobi, to being leaders of men.

Both of them so similar, their lives filled with so much darkness and pain: the lonely childhood, the fight to gain recognition, the need to be acknowledged for their worth as human beings and not monsters to be feared.

But hopefully, now, to sharing a future that had been worth the lives of so many.

Naruto grinned at him. Before taking another drink, he lifted his cup in a salute to Gaara. "Yeah!"

They were silent for a while, the two sharing the quiet and just simply enjoying the taste of sake, the clear, sweet flavor and the burn afterwards.

Gaara then steepled his fingers in front of him and gazed at Naruto with a serious look on his face. "Have you changed during these past two years? You've traveled so much while I've stayed in Suna. When Kakashi-sama and the rest of the other kages talked about this phase in the plan to rebuild the world, we all thought it was a good idea. Was it?"

Naruto leaned back and squinted at Gaara. "Yes." He took another gulp of his drink.

Gaara's face eased. "Then I'm glad. It seemed like a sacrifice to ask everyone to leave home."

Naruto shook his head. "No, it wasn't a sacrifice. We were able to get home after months away. I think we've all come to learn to love home but also appreciate other villages. There's a lot of things we all share and it makes our bonds stronger. It's something to think about for the future…"

_When I become Hokage,_ he wanted to add, but something held him back. It seemed presumptuous to voice the thought to his friend.

But Gaara smiled in understanding. "Everyone will welcome it, Naruto. They're all waiting for you."

Naruto laughed. He hoped so. He really hoped so. Sometimes the pressure he put on himself got too much. He wondered whether he could do it alone. But looking at the Kazekage and how he'd worked with others, had sought the counsel and the help of others to make decisions that affected everyone, Naruto felt that as long as he did his best, people wouldn't let him drown.

But he was glad Gaara was here and knew how he felt.

Naruto took another drink when he saw Gaara take a sip of sake from his cup.

"I can't say the same for everyone, Gaara, but I think I'm more determined to protect this peace."

"Let's hope everyone feels the same way, too, Naruto."

"Hope," Naruto murmured quietly as he stared at his sake cup. He turned his gaze back to his friend. "Yes, we can't lose hope because that makes us give up. If we do, then nothing gets done in this world."

Gaara laughed, "You speak the truth."

Naruto grinned at him. "Gaara, I'm looking at living proof right before my eyes!"

Gaara looked momentarily startled, looked at Naruto solemnly, then bowed. "Thank you."

Naruto continued speaking as he poured himself another cup. "It was a good plan, what you kages envisioned. Traveling made me see a lot of the damage from all the wars our nations have fought, and I realize that there are still a lot of problems that haven't really been dealt with. But at least now, it's a little bit easier and life isn't such a struggle anymore. I just want everyone not to worry about survival, you know."

Gaara nodded. "Yes. It's not perfect, but our world is getting better as we all work together to build it."

Naruto smiled. "And to _change_ it, to make it brighter for the future, too."

They shared another laugh then took another drink, letting the silence swallow them again.

The Kazekage gave Naruto a sideways glance. After some hesitation, he said, "So you're heading home soon?"

Naruto laughed, lifting his cup. "Oh, yeah! I can't wait!"

"Be safe in your travels," Gaara said, then added cryptically, "I think I will see you sooner than you think. There have been recent developments that will take me more in the way of Konoha."

Naruto frowned. Gaara was shimmering, for some reason, and he was having trouble concentrating on his words. "What developmentsh?"

He shook the suddenly empty bottle of sake. When did that happen? He reached for the one across from him, the one closest to Gaara, and poured himself another cup.

Gaara laughed shortly. "I'm not at liberty to discuss it."

Naruto took another drink—this time, straight from the bottle. It seemed like the more he drank, the thirstier and warmer he got. "Oh, yeah?"

Gaara took one look at Naruto's flushed face and called the pub owner to their table. "May I have some water, please?"

"Water?! I don't need water!" he said as he swayed towards the Kazekage, who was looking concerned. A frown was forming on his normally calm face.

Naruto's mind picked up on it. He tried to smile. "Gaara! Come on! Don't worry. I'm fine."

He picked up the now empty bottle of sake and shook it. "I'm telling you, I'm fine! What we need is more of _thish_! Thish is so good!"

Gaara only shook his head as he pried Naruto's fingers away from the bottle.

" _Water_ , Naruto."

"Okay," Naruto said with a pout.

* * *

The next day, Naruto shook Gaara's hand gingerly as the brightness of the morning blinded him. There was a steady drumming in his head that got louder every time somebody spoke. Temari was next to her brother glaring at him. Kankuro was grinning, taking obvious delight in Naruto's suffering.

"Say hi to Hinata for me!" Kankuro said.

Naruto winced as Kankuro's voice reverberated through his brain. Why was he yelling?!

He looked at Temari, who skewered him with her eyes. "Naruto, you're lucky Gaara stopped you before you could go any further. Two bottles of sake!"

Naruto nodded painfully.

Temari's voice cut glass, piercing through his hangover. "Don't drink if you can't hold your liquor."

"Temari, I'm sorry!"

His head was bowed so he missed seeing her lips twitch at him in sympathy.

Gaara smiled and held out his hand to him. "Have a safe trip back to Konoha, Naruto."

Naruto grasped his hand and looked into Gaara's green eyes. They shared a look of mutual respect as they parted friends. Not monsters, not kages, but friends.

* * *

Naruto continued home intending to go straight for Konoha, but his plans seemed to have a life of their own as things took a different turn.

He felt the prickle of consciousness, the familiar chakra touching his. He was on a path right outside the outskirts of a small village. It was afternoon and he could hear crows flying up in the distance as the disturbance in the air caused them to take flight.

Naruto waited for his friend to show up.

"Sasuke."

Sasuke stepped away from the shadows and walked up to Naruto. They hadn't seen each other in years.

"Naruto."

Naruto looked at Sasuke and was happy to see that he looked well, not as pale as before.

"We're a few days away from Konoha. Are you going home, too?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No. I still have things to do."

Naruto stared and waited. Normally, he would tease Sasuke, but his friend had sought him out, which meant there was something serious going on.

"Kakashi sent me a message about what you guys are doing, why you're traveling, too."

This time, Naruto grinned. "So he kept you in the loop, then. That explains it. I wondered why we never ran into each other in both our travels. You avoided me."

Sasuke laughed shortly, his eyes briefly crinkling with humor. "Stupidity can be catching. I didn't want to be infected in case I ran into you."

"Hah!" Naruto only replied.

But Sasuke became serious again. "Your path and mine differ. I think what you've learned these past two years is different from what I've learned about myself."

Naruto understood. Though they had shared a pain from their pasts, Naruto was actively seeking out a road filled with light. Sasuke, meanwhile, was content to live in the shadows. "Yeah, but I think it still doesn't change the fact that we're both shinobi of Konoha."

Sasuke nodded. "No, nothing changes that."

"But even with that, don't you want to go home?" Naruto asked with curiosity. "People are waiting for us there."

A vision of Hinata popped in his mind, making him smile. He hadn't seen her since that night at Kumo.

And home also brought to mind Kakashi, Iruka-sensei, Old Man Teuchi, Granny, all their friends. He couldn't wait to be back.

Sasuke's words were clear. "Not yet."

Naruto didn't push. Instead, he just waited for him to continue.

Sasuke took out a piece of paper from his cloak. "Can you give Sakura a message from me?"

Naruto held out his hand and took the note. "You know, she'll probably like it better if it came straight from you."

Sasuke smiled briefly again. "Yes, I know. But I can't right now. You're the second-best option."

"Really?" Naruto asked with his usual grin. _He_ was pleased, and it was just as a messenger for Sasuke. That means Sakura would be over the moon to get this note from Sasuke.

"Thanks, Naruto."

Sasuke turned around and left him standing in the middle of the road.

_Not yet_.

Naruto kept the smile on his face.

_See you back in Konoha, Sasuke._

Someday.

* * *

Deep in a clearing in the woods, Naruto found himself brushing away some old, rotting leaves off a large, flat, stone. On the front of this moss-covered stone, in large bold strokes, the character for teacher, master was carved. Naruto also brushed away dirt and more leaves off the two smaller ones located on each side of this larger stone. The three stones were connected by wires going through kunais lodged at the top. The paper flowers were now faded, as well as his copy of _The Tale of the Gutsy Ninja_ that he'd left a few years ago _._

Naruto twisted the metal cap off the bottle he held and poured a few drops of sake into the cup. He raised it to the sky and took a sip.

He then put his palms together and bowed his head. A few minutes later, he raised his head. He capped the bottle again and sat down in front of Jirai-ya's memorial.

"Ero-Sennin, sorry it took me a while to come see you. Being with Gaara and having sake with him reminded me of you, which was why I finally came for a visit. Don't get mad at me, okay? I'm sorry I'm late," he said with a smile.

He felt ridiculous at first, but as he started talking more about the last two years of traveling and meeting people, gradually, he started to feel more comfortable and easier talking to his master.

He could understand now why Hinata had found it comforting to talk to Neji at his grave.

Naruto sighed. "Ero-Sennin. What do I do now?"

He felt restless. These last two years, he'd come to accept that protecting the peace not only in Konoha, but in pretty much the whole world, would be difficult. Peace didn't mean that problems would stop. There were still too many issues to deal with.

But it was a duty he was willing to accept once he became Hokage. He had no qualms about that. As he looked at Jiraiya's grave, he remembered the conversations they'd had when he'd been younger, when he'd still been training. They'd talked about peace, but had never really addressed what would happen after the fact, when they had finally achieved their goal. And this was what was making him feel restless and uninspired.

Something told Naruto that what he was missing was important, though. It would make or break him because this one piece of the puzzle, this one component of his life he was lacking might finally ease the ache he sometimes felt when he remembered what he'd had to sacrifice. Instinctively, he knew that the answer was waiting for him at home.

He stood up and glanced again at the bottle of sake before his master's memorial.

"Ero-sennin, what would you tell me if you were here now?"

He closed his eyes and strained to hear. Silence only greeted him.

Then he thought he heard: _"Stop whining, you idiot. You're not meant to think too deeply about this stuff. It is beyond you. Finish that bottle of sake, find a pretty girl, kiss her senseless and more, then go back home."_

Naruto laughed.

With a last bow at Jiraiya, he left and headed for Konoha.


	16. Coming Home

**Part 3: Twenty-One, Rebuilding A Life**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Coming Home**

"Kakashi-sensei! I'm back!" Naruto shook his head then grinned. "Sorry, I meant to say, Hokage-sama!"

Kakashi laughed as he looked at Naruto standing before him, mud-spattered as usual, but looking happy and healthy.

"Well, at least you knocked," the Hokage said with a smile. "But I'm glad you're finally back in Konoha, Naruto."

Naruto sighed deeply, looking at Kakashi behind the Hokage desk. Finally, he was back home—and for good, this time.

"You're my first stop, before Ichiraku, so that's saying a lot!"

Kakashi chuckled again. "It is, and I'll accept this dubious honor."

"Hah!" Naruto responded but he laughed, too, so ecstatic to see his old teacher again.

Kakashi continued to look at him, waiting for Naruto to say whatever was weighing on his mind. When he didn't, he gave the younger man the opportunity to open up. "Well? You're back in the village but you seem discontented."

Naruto was startled. "Am I that obvious?"

"Yes," Kakashi answered, but his eyes were kind.

"I don't know what to do from here on out," Naruto finally blurted out after a long pause.

The Hokage leaned back into his chair. "I'm assuming we're talking about things beyond your missions. You're shinobi so you have a duty to follow through on those."

"Yup!" came Naruto's immediate response.

"You're stuck because you're dwelling too much on the darkness, the things you have to do. You need to allow yourself to be open to let the light into your life," Kakashi said.

"That doesn't make any sense!"

Kakashi's eyes gleamed. "Oh, sorry, Naruto. I forgot, you need _simple_ terms."

"Jerk," Naruto mumbled under his breath.

"What was that? I didn't hear you."

"Nothing, Hokage-sama."

"How about a hobby then, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, his eyes crinkling and his mouth fluttering behind the mask.

"Hobby! That's so lame!" Naruto scoffed with surprise. "Here I was expecting you to tell me something wise, but you tell me something as mundane as taking up a hobby!"

Kakashi laughed, but he continued, " _Is_ it, though? Think about it. Is it mundane to appreciate that we all finally have the time to relax, to let go of having to worry whether our existence might be wiped out? There's no need to be constantly alert to danger or worried about being invaded by another village. This age is all about enjoying peace and _living_ now."

Naruto thought about it. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We have the luxury to loosen up, so I see what you're getting at." But he glared at his former teacher suspiciously. "Somehow, I get the feeling that you just want to read your books without being bothered by war or any other trouble. That's why you mentioned hobby."

Kakashi remained unfazed. "So what? That's the point. At least _I_ have something to keep me content."

"Hmph!"

* * *

Back at his apartment, Naruto waded through the stack of birthday cards and gifts, and other notes that littered his entranceway. He grinned and felt his heart lift at all the messages from his friends. They had remembered.

He glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall. Five weeks had passed since his twenty-first birthday. He'd wanted to be home to celebrate with everyone, but he'd been waylaid on the way here. First, it had been with Gaara and the drink that they were finally able to share, then it had been Sasuke, who he'd met maybe not coincidentally as he'd made his way back to Konoha.

He'd intended to come straight home after that but had changed his mind. Instead, he'd taken his time traveling back to Konoha knowing it might be the last time he'd be away for such a long time. The solace and the time had given him space to think about his future, or more like, the emptiness of it.

Of course, his drive to become Hokage was never going to disappear, but something inside him had questioned whether that was enough to keep him satisfied with his life.

He didn't really know what to do from here on out. He felt incomplete, somehow. Something still felt missing, that much he knew. What? He still didn't know.

Which was why he'd been compelled to visit Jiraiya for a talk a few days ago. Somehow, his talk today about... _hobbies!_ of all things, with the Hokage was related to seeing his master's grave. Truthfully, though, Naruto was still trying to understand the point that Kakashi-sensei was trying to make.

There was something, some kind of a mental block preventing him from grasping the crux of it. He sighed. He still didn't get it.

But at least he was back in his apartment in Konoha—immutable, unchanging home. People he knew and loved surrounded him.

Naruto looked at the mess in his entranceway and decided that the first thing he needed to do was clean up. He picked up the message that was dated the most recently.

 _Naruto, when you get this note, come when you can to the hospital. ASAP. Tsunade-sama says you're due for a checkup on that arm. You haven't seen her in a year._ _Don't make me come get you_ _because she's not the only one who you're going to have to deal with if you don't get your arm checked._

_Sakura_

He smiled. That was a definite threat. He glanced at the clock. It was too late now to go to the hospital. He'd just eaten dinner at Ichiraku so he'll go see her and Granny tomorrow. Plus, he had a message for her from Sasuke. He couldn't wait to hand it to her.

Naruto gathered up all the cards and something fell to the floor with a small clatter. He picked it up. It was a small pebble. He knew who it was from. Sure enough, he found the note she'd written for him. The envelope had opened accidentally and had dislodged the stone.

_Naruto,_

_Happy birthday. I didn't have time to get you anything, but I wanted to remind you of something: Small things can lead to greater things._

_When you're back in Konoha, I'll give you your gift then. I hope you don't mind that it will be late._

_Love, Hinata_

Love? Hinata?

Wait, what?

He read the note again. His heartbeat quickened. What did she mean by that? But she'd told him they were friends long ago. Was she being nice, reminding them that they were buddies, fellow shinobi?

His breath caught. It can't still be _romantic_ love?

Naruto shook his head. No way. She must have moved on. Hinata was just being Hinata, always so nice.

But as he read her simple words, he felt like he'd truly come home. He felt warm and restful inside. He hadn't seen her since their mission together at Kumo. It had been almost four months since then. Chouji, Hinata and Naruto had gone straight to Konoha a few days after the Raikage's birthday party. But as soon as they'd stepped foot in Konoha, Hinata had been called away to Iwa soon after. Kakashi had gotten word that Lord Rumoi had a business proposition and had wanted Hinata to handle the negotiations.

Maybe after his check-up with Granny, he would try to find her tomorrow. He wasn't even sure if she was back in Konoha.

He suddenly felt excited. He hoped she was home. Hopefully, he can run into her tomorrow. Maybe he can ask her about the note she'd left.

_Love, Hinata._

He smiled.

* * *

" _Temari?!"_

Naruto shouted the name in disbelief, disrupting the stillness of the morning. He heard the flapping of wings as the startled birds flew up into the sky at the sound of his voice.

"Shh! Not so loud!" Shikamaru hissed.

The two were standing in the middle of the street. On his way for his checkup to the hospital, he'd run into Shikamaru, who was holding a book in his hand with the title, _A Handbook on Inter-Village Marriages._ He'd held it up to Naruto and grinned.

"Research," he said. "For me, and Chouiji."

Naruto could only stare at Shikamaru in wonder. His friend was getting married. And maybe even Chouji, too.

"Look, I'm telling this to you because you're kind of like a best friend to me," Shikamaru said. "She's already said yes. We're just ironing out the details because she's not from Konoha and she's the Kazekage's sister. There's a lot to deal with. You're really good friends with Gaara, so I know he'll probably get in touch with you, too."

He was blushing. "Of course, I've already told Chouji and Ino, but I'm trying to keep this lowkey, so don't go blabbing it to everyone, you pain in the ass," Shikamaru said.

"Shikamaru, why Temari, though?" Naruto was still reeling, completely bewildered by events he just couldn't comprehend. He recalled Gaara's words the last time they'd met and realized this was what he'd been talking about.

"She's beautiful and all. And she's not that bad once you get to know her. But Temari's _so_ _scary_ , though. She's got a temper that can snap at any moment."

Shikamaru laughed. "I know, but I love her and she makes me happy."

There was an expression of tranquility on his normally languid face, making him look more attractive than usual. He just looked so satisfied.

Shikamaru gave him a sideways glance. "Naruto, you should try it out for yourself, you know. Being happy with a person."

 _Happy?_ Naruto thought as they said good-bye and he walked towards the hospital. What exactly does that mean?

When was the last time he'd felt happy?

It was right after his battle with Sasuke and after the fight against Madara was won, when the Allied Forces had finally secured the peace they had fought so hard for. That was the last time he'd felt really happy.

But from the expression on Shikamaru's face, it looked like there was another kind of happiness that he wasn't experiencing. Something that he didn't know about.

" _You should try it out for yourself, you know. Being happy with a person."_

Naruto pondered Shikamaru's words. With a person. So happiness was a choice? The concept just never entered his mind. He'd struggled all his life to keep the darkness away, the pain of loneliness and rejection—and that had been difficult enough. Life had all been about enduring and accepting things he couldn't change through no fault of his own. It was all he'd known. But Shikamaru seemed to be saying Naruto could rise beyond it and actively choose to seek happiness, that life wasn't just about continuing to bear burdens.

Shikamaru had lost a father and a mentor, but he'd decided to be happy. He'd obviously made a choice to be with Temari.

Choosing a person...

And Naruto suddenly remembered his own mother saying something like this when he'd first met her. She'd mentioned filling life with happiness, despite her, and him, becoming a jinchuuriki.

He was a few paces from the door to the hospital, still puzzling about it when one of his kohais, the young generation he was helping to train, approached him.

"Naruto-senpai!" he yelled. "Hokage has a message for you and is awaiting a reply."

"Yo, Takuto!" Naruto said in greeting. He held out a hand. "Let me see."

Takuto handed Naruto the scroll and he read through it. Kakashi wanted him to deal with another issue at a neighboring village and was wondering if he could go next week. Since the village was also close to where Captain Yamato was stationed, they could kill two birds with one stone by combining a visit to his former captain and helping a village. He was about to tell Takuto his response when he found the younger man's attention drawn away from him. He was peering through the hospital doors with a goofy expression on his face.

"Takuto! Pay attention. The hell's wrong with you?" Naruto asked with irritation.

Takuto turned his dreamy gaze back to Naruto. "Senpai, you're friends with Hinata-senpai, right? You think you can introduce me to her?"

Naruto frowned but he quickly turned his head and followed Takuto's gaze. Sure enough, he could see Hinata's dark hair through the glass of the hospital doors. His heart started beating more quickly. She was sitting with another girl with long, dark hair, too. It was Hanabi.

"What do you think, senpai?" Takuto asked. "I just want to talk to her first."

Naruto continued glowering at him, keeping his temper in check, his mouth shut because he wanted to curse at the younger man.

Takuto only stared at Hinata through the hospital doors. He suddenly shuddered with delight and his eyes brightened as he gave another dreamy sigh. "Maybe I can even ask her out on a date someday."

Heat flared inside him. Naruto suddenly felt like hitting the boy. "You're only seventeen! You're too young for her. Don't even think about it! She won't even _look_ at you!"

Takuto shook his head and only looked at him with disbelief. "She wouldn't do that. I heard Hinata-senpai is always nice to everyone. She'll talk to me, I think. One of these days, I'm going to get up the nerve and speak to her."

"Man, get the hell out of my sight! No way I'm introducing you! You're not going _near_ her!" Naruto growled roughly. "Tell the Hokage I'll do it. I remember the village elders so I can help them out. Plus I want to see Captain Yamato."

Takuto frowned at him, took one last look at Hinata through the glass doors, and left with a huff, mumbling about his superiors abusing him.

Damn it! Naruto cursed. Why the hell did he lose his temper like that?


	17. Tsunade's Truth Bombs

**Chapter 17: Tsunade's Truth Bombs**

He shouldn't have lashed out at Takuto like a maniac. Naruto sighed. He was going to have to apologize to the boy next time he saw him. He didn't know what had come over him, but the thought of introducing Hinata to Takuto had triggered something in him.

His steps slowed as he walked up the stairs to the hospital entrance. He could see them through the glass doors. Hinata and her sister were sitting on the chairs in the waiting room. There were a couple of small bandages on Hanabi's cheeks.

Naruto entered the doors, but they were in deep conversation so they hadn't spotted him yet. He quickly ducked behind a wall, one of those glass ones that wasn't completely clear. He could only see their hazy images, but he could clearly make out Hinata's hands picking at the leaves and small twigs stuck in her sister's hair.

They were talking about the recent chuunin exams that had been postponed because Konoha and the stadium had to be rebuilt. Naruto had forgotten that it was around this time that the tests were usually held. He strained to hear their conversation. His heart gave a happy leap when he heard the clear tones of her voice.

"...good news! I'm so proud of you! You guys were the third team to come in with the scrolls," Hinata was saying. "Shino said you were great during the second round. Lots of smart decisions and very quick thinking when faced with obstacles. Do you know who you're facing in the third round?"

"Konohamaru," Hanabi said with relish, making her opinion of the boy clear.

"Konohamaru!" Hinata repeated with dismay. Her voice turned teasing. "He's such a sweet boy! I've always liked him. Now I don't know who to root for."

"Onee-sama!" yelled Hanabi. "Now you've just made me more determined to beat him to a bloody pulp!"

"That's what I'm afraid of. You never know how to hold back because you're so bloodthirsty! _Poor_ Konohamaru."

Hanabi giggled.

Hinata laughed then brushed at the lock of hair that had fallen over her sister's eyes. She gave her sister a squeeze. "But Hanabi, do your best. That's all that matters."

"I know! And I'm going to win! I'll show you."

Somebody else then came to talk to them, but he couldn't hear what the other person said. Naruto then heard chairs scraping as they stood up. He realized that they were done at the hospital and were going home.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here at the hospital tonight, Hanabi? The doctors can monitor you longer and I'll stay with you."

"No! I'm fine. It's just scratches. I'm itching to train."

He could hear them getting closer to where he was hiding so he finally stepped out of his hiding place and showed himself, almost bumping into Hinata.

"When we get home—Ah, Naruto!" she said with a startled squeak.

"Hinata," he said, his voice unconsciously warm, which made her blush. He looked at her and realized that he'd missed her all these months he hadn't seen her. He missed their conversations.

Her face was flushed, but her eyes were gently smiling at him. All he wanted to do was gaze at her face, but he turned to her sister and said, "Hi, Hanabi."

She looked at him with suspicion, then she did something that forever endeared her to him. Hanabi stepped in front of her sister as if to defend and protect her from him, one arm holding her sister back. Instead of feeling insulted, Naruto was oddly touched by the gesture. It had been an instinctive action and it spoke of the love and respect she had for her older sister.

He grinned at her but looked back at Hinata. "Chuunin exams, huh? Brings back a lot of memories."

She laughed, too, remembering the first time they had all grown closer, him, her, and the rest of their classmates. "Yes, it does."

They continued smiling at each other without saying a word until Hanabi grew impatient.

She folded her arms. "So you heard then? I made it through the third round. I know Konohamaru's your protege and everything, but I'm going to _crush_ him."

Naruto chuckled. "You can try. But he might surprise you."

Hanabi only gazed at him. Her lavender eyes, so similar to her sister's, were cool and assessing. He squirmed under her scrutiny. _Damn_ , Naruto thought, as he finally understood why the Hyuugas were waiting for her to be clan leader.

She glanced at her older sister then back at his face. There was a slight widening in her eyes but she humphed.

Naruto kept the smile on his face. Hanabi. So young, but there was the same fierce expression on her face that he'd seen on all of the Hyuugas. It reminded him a lot of Neji.

"I'm expecting both of you to give it your all," he told her. "I know first hand how you Hyugas fight. The chuunin exams was where I proved myself. You guys probably will, too. This match between you and Konohamaru will be amazing to watch. I can't wait to see it."

Hanabi's eyes gleamed with sudden appreciation. He didn't know it, but he'd just given her the best compliment by acknowledging her worth as a warrior. It earned him her undying respect.

She turned back to her sister and declared, "Onee-sama, if he's really the one you want, he'll do."

" _Hanabi!"_ Hinata said with a shriek and an apologetic glance at him.

There was confusion on his face. Want him?

But Hinata quickly said, "Are you here to have your arm checked? I saw Tsunade-sama earlier today. She said you were in town and she's expecting you."

He nodded and held out the bandaged arm. It was dirty and it needed some changing. "She's going to give me hell for this."

She smiled in sympathy. "Yes, she will."

Hinata glanced at her sister, who was staring at her face with a gleam in her eyes. Before Hanabi could say anything, she placed her hand over her younger sister's mouth then said, "I'm taking Hanabi home, so I'll see you around?"

Naruto grinned at both of them. "Yeah, I'll see you guys around. Bye, Hanabi!"

Hanabi stepped away and stood back a little away from her sister's reach. She inclined her head regally into a little bow.

"Naruto-sama," she said coolly.

His grin widened.

The sisters headed for the entrance. He watched both of them leave, a smile still on his lips. As they were about to step out, he saw Hinata reach out and tuck a stray lock of her sister's hair behind her ears and cup her on the cheek with the scratches. Hinata said something that made Hanabi beam and look up at her older sister with adoration. They walked down the steps toward home.

Naruto looked down at his hand. He wondered how it would feel if Hinata touched him the way she'd just touched her sister's face…

Damn, he thought, what the hell was wrong with him today? He was frowning as he made his way towards Tsunade's office.

Unbidden, he recalled their earlier conversation four years ago, when they'd been sitting in front of Neji's grave.

Her asking, "How do you feel about me?"

_I don't think I love you the way you want me to._

Naruto went red with embarrassment and disappointment as he remembered his answer to her question—and something else too.

Something just felt strange, made him feel like he was floundering, even though he was on solid ground.

In his mind's eye, he saw again Hinata's beautiful hands reaching out to fuss with the sunflowers on Neji's grave, then reaching out to brush a lock of Hanabi's hair, and finally reaching out to touch him on the arm in a friendly gesture.

He realized he'd never really touched _her_ before, and he wondered what her skin would feel like under his fingers. Her skin, her arms and legs, so creamy-looking. It would probably be soft and delicate…

But he was jarred out of the daydream with his own words again:

_I don't think I love you the way you want me to._

Naruto felt like clawing at the thought. He felt prickly, something just didn't seem to fit with the sentiment. It just seemed so dishonest and so unlike him. The words he'd said with his own mouth four years ago suddenly felt like a lie.

And then he recalled Shimaru saying, in a voice filled with wonder, gratitude, "I love her and she makes me happy."

Naruto suddenly felt hot and feverish. But he continued to walk up the stairs, his mind in a haze, thoughts swirling and mingling with confusing feelings.

Hinata…

And the warm, happy feeling that flooded him again, making him feel breathless, strangely making him ache because he somehow felt incomplete.

He opened the door to Tsunade's office and walked into the room, a dazed look on his face.

Tsunade glanced at him and saw the stunned look on his face, the unfocused gaze.

Hinata had stopped by earlier to say hello to her.

She smiled. _Finally_ , she thought.

"What's the matter?" she asked him, although she already knew.

Still dazed, puzzled, he said, "I just saw Hinata."

He sat down with a plunk on the chair she indicated.

He held out his bandaged arm. She proceeded to examine him without saying anything until he said, "Granny, I think I'm in love?"

"Hah!" she said. Tsunade sat back with a smirk, dropping his arm.

His eyes were still unfocused and he was looking like his brains were scrambled.

Tsunade suddenly thought of Dan, with his long, pale blue hair and dark green eyes. He had been so sure of his feelings for her, so confident as they'd told each other they loved each other. In contrast, Naruto was looking so addled and screwy.

Poor Naruto, she thought with amusement. He was straining to make sense of everything and was desperately trying to figure it out.

But she was slowly losing patience. "Naruto, you're either in love or you're not. Well, are you?"

"I don't know?" he asked again, confusion still on his face.

She let out a sound of irritation. Shit, how _dense_ can you get?

"Stop ending your sentences with a question mark! Are you in love or not? Which one is it?!" she growled, completely out of patience now.

Naruto was still looking lost. "How would I know?"

"Argh!" She felt like slapping him, but he seriously looked bewildered. She cocked her head to the side with a frown then said. "Okay. Think of her."

He did, and a smile formed on his face as he thought of the time he'd met Hinata at Suna, smiling up at him as she'd pressed her body so close to his. She'd looked so beautiful and he'd wanted to hold on to her that entire night. He'd wanted to melt into puddles at her feet.

Tsunade looked at Naruto, the smile on his face so goofy it reminded her of another man, his master with the long, white hair. She sighed. _Jiraiya_. Memories came flooding back. His dark eyes on _her_ chest, his own goofy, perverted grin, underneath the forehead protector with the kanji for oil on it, smiling at _her_.

"Naruto," Tsunade called his name softly. He was still smiling as he looked at her with a clearer gaze, the image of Hinata helping to crystalize his thoughts.

"Now, think of a life without her."

The sudden sharp pain that sliced his insides made his heart drop. Naruto's breath left him with a whoosh as he fell off the chair and onto his knees. He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, trying to deny the images that suddenly popped into his mind of Hinata bleeding before him in her attempt to fight Pain. She was crawling towards him, slowly, then her bleeding hands were gripping and desperately pulling at the rods that had pinned him to the ground.

Then nothing else was in his consciousness as he tried frantically to remember the way she always smiled at him, but her sweetness was gone from his life. He tried to hear her voice, but he couldn't hear it, the way she said his name in her clear, quiet tone. He tried to recall the feeling, the gentle way her hands would rest on his arm but nothing came to mind. The blackness, the blankness of it all penetrated, erased everything in his heart.

A life without Hinata...

He fell to the floor, hitting his head on the hard tiles, gasping uncontrollably.

"I guess that's a yes," Tsunade said with a smile of satisfaction. "Congratulations, Naruto. You're in love."

Naruto opened his eyes and blinked at her, but he couldn't see Tsunade.

Darkness was already claiming him.

Before he blacked out, he thought he heard another low rumble.

_Finally, you dumbass,_ Kurama's voice echoing from somewhere.

For the first time in his life, Naruto fainted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so satisfying to write! I racked my brains trying to figure out who had experience with love and Tsunade was it. If you think about it, besides his parents, who alive would be able to tell Naruto what love is? None of the men could. It had to be a woman. Kurenai was a possible candidate, but the two weren't close. Tsunade, who in the anime had her own backstory about the man she loved, was closer to Naruto and could pierce through his thick skull. What do you guys think?


	18. Confession

**Chapter 18: Confession**

Naruto woke up with a start, sitting up abruptly. The hospital sheets fell off him as he swung his legs over the bed. He needed to find Hinata. He took a deep breath and focused his attention inward. In a few minutes, his eyes warmed and the area around his lids glowed orange.

He put his hands in his pockets and found the note he'd meant to give to Sakura. He went to find her and disrupted her work with her patients.

She took one look at his face as he burst into the room and knew she wouldn't be able to brush him off.

"Can you leave us for five minutes?" she asked the man she was talking to. He nodded and was about to leave, but Naruto was faster.

"Here," he said as he grabbed her hand and thrust Sasuke's note into it. "From Sasuke."

Then he ran out calling, "Need to find Hinata!"

Shocked, Sakura could only stare at the closing door. She looked down at the note and smiled. _Sasuke_. And now Naruto was off to find Hinata. Her smile widened.

_Finally...you stupid idiots_.

* * *

Naruto flew out of the hospital, almost running over everyone he met. He flew through the streets of Konoha, trying to locate her.

So this is love? he thought to himself. The feeling of bliss that filled him when he thought of her. The warmth that came from within him right where his heart burned. He realized now that Hinata's presence had been that one unwavering thing in his life that he'd taken for granted. In his lonely childhood, she'd given him words of encouragement and tried to help him during the chuunin exams. During his teenage years, as he'd battled all sorts of enemies, physical and emotional, he'd had to rely on _her_ strength to lift him up. And now, as an adult, he couldn't imagine her not being there for him.

It hurt just to _think_ about it. He shook his head, scared to let any thoughts of Hinata disappearing into his mind.

She'd survived her battle with Pain, and he'd taken it for granted, her existence. He'd never imagined an alternative reality if she hadn't. What if she'd died that day? How different his life would have been. He shuddered.

Looking back, he _had_ loved her all along, but he'd never realized his feelings for what they were until Tsunade had put it into terms he could easily understand. He'd never envisioned Hinata gone from his life. She'd always been there, her presence so constant that he'd never imagined her not being in Konoha, not being able to see her in town. But now, as he searched for her in the village, he panicked at the thought that he wouldn't be able to ever find her.

This was what Shikamaru had talked about, he suddenly realized. He was actively seeking her, fighting for the chance to maybe experience happiness.

It was just, he didn't know where she was. He concentrated again, trying to search out her chakra.

_Hinata, where the hell are you?!_

He probably shouldn't be using his sage mode this way, but he needed to find Hinata as quickly as possible. He was getting desperate, but he _would_ eventually find her and he wouldn't let go.

Naruto didn't know what to do with these feelings, but instinctively, he knew that she would be the only person in the world who could help him.

He finally found her at the Ninja Academy but cursed when he found her with other people. He wouldn't be able to talk to her now. He forced himself to calm down.

He found a tree, hid up in the branches and watched her from afar as she stood in front of about twelve students. They were at the school training grounds. Her byakugan was activated, one palm out and the other held close to her waist.

"Okay, come at me, then," she said in her gentle voice.

He saw several of the young boys grin knowingly at each other, and Naruto recognized signs of trouble from these mischief-makers. As one, all twelve came running at her.

She smiled then whirled around, arms up to block whatever limbs came within her sphere. As she did so, she adjusted her movements to attack, and in a flash, she sent them flying back. One of the girls, though, managed to land a hit with a foot on Hinata's shoulder.

Hinata said, "Good!" as she grabbed the girl's ankle, twisted her own wrist, and sent the girl flying through the air, as well.

"Keep it coming," she said, panting. "Your taijutsu skills need some work! Don't _flail_ wildly! Remember, keep your arms sharp. Movements must be quick! Concentrate all your power to the _side_ of your palms."

The second round of attacks came from all of them again, but Hinata held them off and sent arms and legs flying again.

Naruto watched the graceful way she moved and fell in love all over again. Damn, she was beautiful, and he was such an idiot for not seeing her for what she was.

"Try to anticipate when a blow will come, then soften your muscles. It won't hurt as much. When you attack, sharpen it up. Attack, hard. Defend, soft! All you need is to pay attention to your opponent."

The students were panting.

She smiled, "Okay, guys, I'm giving you a warning. I'm going on the attack. Remember, soft and gentle, anticipate the blows!"

And she flew straight into the crowd of pre-teens, hair flying as she twisted and landed blows on arms and legs, shoulders, thighs. The sound of flesh hitting flesh and grunts of pain filled the air as she landed everyone on their butts. A few students were able to defend for a few minutes. But eventually, they, too, fell to the ground.

Naruto shook his head, his heart full of pride. It was no use, Hinata had been training in taijutsu since she'd been four years old. There was no way any of the kids could match that type of experience.

The kids were breathless. When they were able to finally breathe, one of the girls yelled, "Hinata-senpai! Give us a break!"

Hinata deactivated her byakugan. She grinned at them. "Okay. You're right. I've got byakugan, so it's not fair. But you're going to be facing opponents who will have an advantage over you. You can't give up."

She then nodded. Her eyes seeking, she found her targets. "But that doesn't excuse those of you who have byakugan, though!"

She stared pointedly at two boys who had the same lavender eyes she had. "Naoki and Hiroto, you better get better the next time I come back. You guys haven't been training."

The boys glared at her for calling them out, but she only raised a brow. "Any complaints?"

They shook their heads.

She then turned to everyone. "Okay, we're breaking for twenty minutes. Go get a drink. Make sure you all bring a towel. I'm going to make you work!"

There was grumbling.

"Listen, we are shinobi. We all want to get better, right? The more training you do, the better you get. One of these days, you guys will be able to kick my butt. But until then, I'm going to kick yours. Everyone, let's get stronger _together_!"

They all smiled at her then left.

She watched them go with a smile.

"Hinata!" Naruto suddenly burst in.

"Agh!" she shrieked with surprise but quickly whirled around to look at him.

Her hand was up in her taijutsu stance, byakugan already activated, ready to kill him.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him and disengaged from attacking.

"Naruto! What are you doing here at the academy? Are you helping out, too?"

He flushed, suddenly embarrassed and unsure, but still pulsating with feeling. He wasn't sure how she was going to take it, but knowing Hinata, it would probably be okay. Still, he was floundering.

He stepped closer. "No, I actually came to find you."

"Me?" she said with a startled look.

"Yeah, you." He took another step closer until she was only a foot away from him.

"Hinata, I love you."

* * *

Hinata blinked, unsure of what she'd just heard. Her brain actually blanked, went completely white. Nothing penetrated her mind except Naruto's flushed face looking at her with a glazed look in his eyes.

She had to take a moment to process his words.

_I love you_.

"Just like that?" she asked, still reeling with surprise.

And then she laughed softly.

_Of course._ It would be exactly the way Naruto would declare his feelings. So blunt and so direct. No romance or sweet nothings whatsoever. He wasn't the type to sugarcoat anything.

Just simply, _I love you_.

She could imagine what she looked like: hot, sweaty, and tired. She was flushed and she knew her hair was a mess. She'd been working with the kids for the past hour. She glanced down at the footprint on her shoulder—and she was also probably very dirty.

He, meanwhile, was wearing his orange sweatpants. His hair was standing on end. It looked like he'd just gotten out of bed in a hurry. His shirt was carelessly untucked. One of the straps of his sandals was hanging loose. Looking more closely, there was a small gash covered with a tiny bandage on his forehead.

They were at the dusty training grounds at the Ninja Academy.

She grinned at him.

This wasn't how she'd imagined his declaration of love would be. She'd envisioned candle lights and a starry night.

But somehow, it all seemed fitting. It was perfectly Naruto, perfectly what he always did.

The smile she aimed at him was tinted with teasing suspicion, though. "Are you sure?"

He looked at her and she saw the truth. Her amusement died.

"I love you," he said again.

It was in his eyes, burning brightly, the sincerity, the intensity.

She didn't know what to say, and he didn't seem to need an answer.

Still holding her gaze, he continued, "Hinata, I love you. I ache with it, I don't know what to do. When I imagine you disappearing from my life, I feel empty, like I don't know who I am. You were always there during the moments that I needed you most. You made me strong, made me feel like I could continue and endure. You made me feel like I could do anything. You believed in me, always had faith in me."

Naruto ran both hands through his hair roughly, making his hair spikier, making him look even crazier. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Hinata. I know I'm babbling and I don't really know what I'm saying, but don't stop me. Just listen. I want to say everything that's inside me."

And Hinata listened, her heart full.

His blue eyes pierced her as he continued talking. "I watched you with Hanabi at the hospital yesterday and I saw the way you touched her. I want that for myself. I want to feel your hands on my skin. I want you to say my name, to say _Naruto_ in the way only you can. I want you to smile at me."

She smiled at him then, her eyes misting.

But he didn't stop. He continued to look at her. The words were still coming out in a rush.

"I want you to tell me that you love me again. And I'll tell you right back that I love you, too. I'm sorry it took me years to figure it out. To _understand_ what it means. But I think I was already in love with you even before I knew it. I just didn't know that it was love. That's why it took me so long to realize."

His face was tight, anxious, and Hinata wanted to reach out and finally touch him the way she wanted to, but she waited for him to finish.

Naruto kept talking. "Hinata, I know I'll never be good enough for you. You're everything I need but I don't know what I can give you. I don't know a lot about love, but I'm here now. I give you myself, even my life, because that's all I have."

Then he finally stopped. He blinked at her, suddenly embarrassed, uncertain.

"You once told me you loved me, a long time ago. Do you still love me?" he asked.

"Oh, Naruto!" She laughed again, softly, and raised her eyes to his. She hoped he could see the love for him she'd held on to all these years.

"I never stopped."

His breath came out in a sigh.

He finally smiled at her, so golden and bright, relief etched in his face. He looked like the world was lifted off his shoulders. He'd said everything he'd wanted to say, not giving her a chance to say anything.

Hinata waited expectantly, but he only stood there smiling at her.

She was going to have to take the lead, then, she thought with a laugh.

Shyly, she said, "So now what do you want to do about it?"

For an answer, he stepped closer, mere inches away from her.

"Hinata, would you let me kiss you? I can't stand the mystery of not knowing what your lips taste like."

Her heart dropped, but she laughed in surprise. "I meant, did you want to go out on a date with me? I was waiting for you to ask me out."

She looked into his eyes. "But I guess this was a better answer."

"Oh, right!" he said, turning red as he laughed. "But I still want to kiss you."

She flushed and nodded. Her heart was beating so loudly in her chest. Naruto reached up, cupped her face gently, and she closed her eyes as she felt his fingers gently cradling her jaw and cheeks. And he brushed his mouth softly against hers, his lips softer than she'd expected.


	19. Kiss

**Chapter 19: Kiss**

Holy hell.

He was kissing Hinata, _actually_ kissing her.

On first contact, they'd kept their lips closed, but he needed more. Her lips were soft, parting slightly when she sighed, so he moved his lips over to her top lip. He caught it between his lips and gently suckled. Then there were the corners of her mouth that needed his attention, too. He was quickly learning the difference in sensation. While her lips were lush, softly rounded, the corners of her lips were sweetly indented. Then he slowly moved to her lower lip, which Naruto was discovering was his favorite part to kiss because of its fullness. There was more to suckle and more to nibble.

He pulled back and looked at her face. His hands cupped her jaw, thumbs smoothing over her cheeks, her skin so delicate, he couldn't stop rubbing against the softness. Her eyes were closed, a hint of rosy color on her face. Her lips were plump and pink, and he knew he wasn't going to be able to stop kissing her. So he moved in again and brushed his mouth lightly against her lips, then her cheeks, and at her temple while his fingers still cradled her jaw.

"More, Hinata," he said against her ear. "Please?"

She nodded, her eyes still closed and Naruto's seeking mouth drifted back to her lips. She sighed and her breath fanned against his cheek. A thumb was rubbing against her jaw, gently urging her to open her mouth when Naruto suddenly sighed against her parted lips and stopped.

His Kyuubi mode immediately flared up as soon as he heard them. The kunais came flying first and Naruto blocked them with his back even as he wrapped Hinata in his arms and Kurama's protective cloak. The kunais fell ineffectively to the ground.

Twelve bodies came flying at him all at once.

"What are you doing to Hinata-senpai, you bastard?!" came the angry screams of boys and girls.

"You ass! Get your arms off her!"

His Nine-tails chakra arms stopped and caught them mid-air as he finally turned around. He glanced down at Hinata, who was blushing at getting caught kissing at work, but she was smiling at him, too.

"First of all, don't just throw your kunais haphazardly like that. You guys didn't even identify whether I'm an enemy or not," Naruto said patiently to Hinata's students.

He then added in a stern voice, "Plus, you could have missed me and hit her."

The kids stopped their squirming and looked at her with guilt.

"But I admire the fact that you want to defend her," he said with a grin. 

He put them all down. The students stood around looking at each other then at him and Hinata.

"Wait, it's Naruto-senpai!" one of the kids finally realized. There was a hush as they gazed at him in awe. But it was short-lived.

"Why were you kissing her?" came an angry, demanding voice. It was the same boy with trouble-making eyes.

Hinata stiffened in his arms. Naruto blushed but he answered truthfully, "Because I wanted to and she said I could."

"Well, if you can do that, then I want to do it, too!" from the same boy. Other voices chorused the same.

Naruto suddenly glared at them. Competition _already_! From eleven-year-olds!

He was going to have to tell them straight.

"No way! She's _mine_!"

* * *

It was then that Hinata stepped in and took control of the situation before it got out of hand.

"All right! Everyone, _calm_ down!" She put a hand on Naruto's chest. She looked him in the eyes and said, " _You_ are leaving. I'm still in the middle of teaching this class."

He pouted and started to protest, so she smiled at him gently and said, "How about after, we continue?"

He brightened. "After?" he asked. There was a gleam in his eyes.

She couldn't control the blush that consumed her after she said the words. She'd meant their conversation since he _still_ hadn't asked her out. But he obviously was thinking of the kissing.

"Naruto, we still have a _conversation_ to finish," she said meaningfully. "Come back later when school lets out."

"Okay," he grinned at her, his smile bright and hopeful. Then, "I love you."

 _Oh, god,_ Hinata thought, flushing again. He was going to make her say it in front of the kids. She glanced at them quickly. Their eyes were glued to the two of them, looking on with unashamed interest.

But she looked at Naruto's happy, eager face and without any more hesitation, said, "I love you back."

He laughed, quickly kissed her again on the lips, waved to the students and left, leaving her to deal with the squealing kids. Squeals of happiness from the girls, disgust from the boys.

"Wait a minute! You just said you wanted to kiss her!" came a girl's voice.

"Hinata-senpai, yeah! But I don't want to see _him_ kissing her! Ew!"

Hinata chuckled, but she was having trouble concentrating. She still couldn't believe how things had progressed so rapidly, all in the space of twenty minutes. He'd come to find her, declared his love for her, and kissed her. And he might even finally ask her out today.

She'd waited for him for years and years, but he'd quickly blasted through her patience and her long waiting and managed to lodge himself even more firmly in her heart with his simple declaration of love today.

Of course. Typical Naruto fashion.

But Naruto's feelings were genuine, and he'd looked like he really meant it and truly cared for her.

Her heart skipped a beat as she realized he'd looked the same when he'd talked about his mother and when he'd told her he loved her.

And now that he knew what the words meant, he'd been so natural with it. There had been so much ease when he said them and had even told her several times in the space of a few minutes.

Meanwhile, when Hinata had left a note for his birthday, she'd agonized for days whether signing it with the word love was the right thing to do.

She'd thought about her life after getting the scroll from Kakashi and what she was going to do when she got back to Konoha. She'd been in Iwa, working with Lord Rumoi on organizing shinobi exchange and information when she'd gotten the message from the Hokage that Hinata could take her time with the current mission. It was going to be her last one of these assignments. She was free to do whatever she wanted after she'd finish the business with Onoki's advisor.

Hinata had thought about it on her way home. In a few months, she was going to be twenty-one. Her career as a diplomat had been a success, had given her the confidence to deal with all kinds of people and with life in general.

But there was still one thing that she was unsure of, and it was Naruto. As she'd traveled back to Konoha, she decided that she wanted to take their relationship further. She wanted to be more than just his friend, which was why the note she'd written had also been a reminder to herself, to start something small that would hopefully get the ball rolling in the right direction.

She'd signed it _Love, Hinata_ to reflect her own wish.

When he was back in town, she'd decided she was going to let him know her feelings again. And if he didn't want to have anything to do with her, then she would accept it. At least she'd tried, and that was all that mattered to her.

She'd steeled her heart for his rejection.

But Naruto had surprised her, had actually sought her out to tell her that he loved her. He'd figured it out himself. It had been his own choice. He'd _chosen_ her, Hinata. He'd chosen to be with her above any other woman.

She wanted to cry with happiness, to indulge and soak in her feelings. In her mind and heart, she wanted to keep replaying his words and the way he'd looked when he'd told her he loved her. She wanted to replay the feeling of his lips against hers as they'd shared their first kiss.

But the kids were restless.

"Asshole! You better put that kunai down and stop poking me with it! If you don't, I'll hit you in the balls!"

She sighed.

_Oh, Naruto! Why did you pick now to tell me you loved me when I'm in the middle of work?!_

And then she laughed at herself.

She'd done the same thing to him when she'd confessed her love, all those years ago.

They were, she realized, both terrible with timing.

* * *

Naruto paced in front of Ichiraku after he'd finished eating. He'd never demolished a bowl of ramen so fast in his life. His thoughts were racing, filled mostly of Hinata: her closing her eyes for the kiss, smiling at him, then her tearing up when she'd listened to him babble on about his feelings. He remembered telling her he loved her, but the words that followed were a blur. He hoped he made sense when he'd been speaking.

But he was still fixated with her pursed lips, her face up to meet his mouth.

Naruto sighed. Damn, he still had a couple of hours before she finished work. He continued pacing, muttering to himself.

When the sun was setting in the sky, he walked back to the academy. She was waiting for him with a smile on her face, and he saw clearly that she'd always smiled at him in that sweet way of hers that made her look so luminous and radiant.

He realized with a twinge of sadness how much time he'd wasted not being with her, but he shook the thought away. No, maybe not as her man—if she would really have him today—but he'd always been her friend. Naruto recalled all their conversations, all the time he'd been with her in friendship, and he still felt blessed. She'd been a great friend, but now he wanted something more with her.

He was finally in love, and hopefully, there was still time to discover her and spend time in her presence.

With a shy smile, he opened his arms experimentally, and he felt his heart beat faster when her face turned pink, but her smile widened as she walked naturally into his embrace. Naruto wrapped his arms around her, still pinching himself that he could do this so freely with her.

"I'm here Hinata," he said into her hair, and there it was again, the scent of apples and cinnamon, reminding him of that night they'd been in Suna when he'd realized she was a woman, but she'd still been cloaked under the guise of friendship. His body had known, had recognized her for what she was, but his slow mind hadn't registered the reasons why he'd found her so irresistible that night.

"You are," she said, her voice filled with wonder, but it was muffled against his chest.

Then she looked up at him from the circle of his embrace with another smile, and Naruto was discovering that this was his favorite view of her.

"Naruto, do you mind if we finish our conversation at the cemetery?"

His grin widened. She didn't realize what she was saying. Taken out of context, and to any other person, the words sounded weird and macabre, but he knew what she meant. Of course.

She continued, "If you don't want to, it's okay. I'm going to be busy from here on out so this was the only time I had to visit Neji. I'd been planning this even before your confession, I'm sorry. Do you want to come with me?"

"Don't be sorry! I'll go with you because I want to see him, too. And I don't want to let you go just yet."

The smile he got in return was enough to dazzle him.

And so they walked, silence between the two of them until Naruto brushed her hand. He looked at her with a question in his eyes and she nodded. He grasped her smaller one in his. Looking at their joined hands, it just felt _so_ right.

"I love this hand," Naruto said as he looked at how small hers was. They made their way to the cemetery. "I've seen you so many times touching others. And you've laid it in on me a couple times, those times we were in Suna, that night with Rumoi and then the next day when I was out of my mind when you kissed Kankuro."

She looked at him with surprise. "You remembered?"

He was glad the sun was setting because he'd lost count the times he'd turned red today. "Well, you don't really forget when a girl in a kimono hugs you one night and then kisses another guy the next day."

"Oh, Naruto," she cried softly. "I'm so sorry."

He groaned guiltily and gave her another hug, one filled with apology. "Hinata, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I was just reminding myself of how slow I am when it comes to love and romance. My body knew, and I think I was jealous of Kankuro at the time, but I just didn't know why."

Her face pinkened.

"And you're right," he added. "That wasn't a kiss with Kankuro."

He knew now the difference between a peck on the cheek and a kiss.

"Which doesn't change the fact that I still love your hand." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. She laughed softly and he continued to hold her hand until they got to the cemetery.

They stopped in front of Neji's grave. She bowed her head and Naruto did the same beside her. She sat down and Naruto followed her a second later. His arms reached for her and she laid her head on his shoulder with a sigh.

"I've wanted to do this ever since we were young," Hinata said into the cool evening air.

Naruto started with surprise, even though he knew he shouldn't have been. He'd forgotten. She'd said she'd always loved him, had never stopped. Hinata had been so sure of her feelings for him since they were teenagers. She had even told him to his face many times four years ago—at this very same spot—but he'd just been so dense and so emotionally defective, he hadn't known what to do with her love.

He suddenly felt uncertain again. "Did you? Really?"

She laughed. "Naruto! I've wanted to do so _many_ things with you!"

Hinata reached out and took his bandaged hand, brought it to _her_ lips, and smiled at him. His heart twisted inside.

"But it feels nice now that I can finally do this with you, anytime I want."

She took his hand and placed it on her cheek. He sighed.

"Hinata? I just don't understand _how_. How in the world you could love me all these years? _Why_ did you love me, though? I never did anything to you, for you."

She laughed again. "Don't say that! Not directly, maybe, but you just being _you_ helped me. You were so bright, so undaunted and so courageous despite everything."

He looked at her, puzzled.

So she continued, "Oh, Naruto, you did plenty for me! When we were at the academy, just talking to you was enough. You were so kind speaking with me, even though I was shy and everybody left me alone. I mean, who would want to talk to this girl everybody thought was meek and boring? Plus, it didn't help that my relatives were always hovering about and made everything awkward. But you didn't care about any of that, it didn't bother you that I was strange."

Naruto felt another jolt in his heart. _Since the academy_?! Wait, that _long_?

"It was enough. Being with you made me feel like I could be different, that I didn't want to remain weak and helpless, that I could change the situation I'm in. You gave me so much hope in my life."

She was smiling at him, still holding the hand she'd placed on her cheek. He could feel the muscles of her cheeks gently lifting his fingers up. "You were just so inspiring, and I admired you for just never giving up and moving forward despite the hardships of your life. Then inspiration turned to love when I felt that maybe I could be more than just a classmate, a fellow shinobi, or a friend."

Naruto looked at her, his heart so full to see that love in her eyes.

"I'm sorry that I was so shy. I just couldn't break out of that until I found the courage to tell you how I felt when you were fighting Pain. Seeing you pinned to the ground struggling snapped me out of my fear."

"Hinata! Don't apologize for your personality!"

"See, there you go again," she said. "Acceptance."

He shook his head. "But you're exactly the same!"

"I guess so, then," she murmured with a smile. They looked at each other without saying anything, content to bask in each other's presence, taking the slow steps into this sudden turn of their relationship.

His hand left her face. Hers, meanwhile, reached up to touch the gash on his forehead. She frowned. "What happened?"

He laughed suddenly, remembering. "I fell for you."

Confusion lit her face and, still smiling, he kissed the tiny pucker on her forehead, making her eyes widen, sending another flutter through his heart. This was bad. Everything she did was too cute. He just wanted to spend the night kissing her.

Instead, he stopped and gave her an explanation. "I was at the hospital and Grandma Tsunade just made me realize my feelings for you. It was so intense, I fell off the chair and fainted."

"What?!" she gasped. "Naruto, are you okay?"

He brushed it off by grabbing her fingers and kissing them again. "It's nothing. It doesn't hurt at all. You know I heal really quickly."

"That's true." She was looking at him with so much concern in her eyes. "Why was it so intense?"

He sighed then. "Because I'm an idiot and I didn't realize how things could be so different if your fight with Pain had ended differently."

Naruto wanted to forget that day, not because she'd told him she loved him, but it was forever in his heart, the image of Hinata hurt and bleeding. He could have easily lost her then.

She'd jumped in and had tried to save him. She'd faced her fears, had confessed her love for him that day, then told him again and again after. But he'd never responded the way she'd hoped and he was reminded all over again of the time they could have had together, making him sad.

She must have felt his mood because Hinata leaned over and hugged him, squeezing and infusing him with her warmth. It was enough to banish his melancholy.

"There's no blame here," she whispered against his ear. " _Never._ "

She looked him squarely in the eyes, then with a tremulous smile, she let him know what she wanted from him. "Don't worry about the past. We've got now and the future to look forward to."

"Hinata, I really don't deserve you," he said, shaking his head at himself.

"I love you, Naruto. I still do. Always will."

There was no way he could stop the kiss that came next. Overwhelmed with emotion, he'd reached for her, almost roughly, but she'd responded readily, wrapping her arms more tightly around him. Everything came instinctively to the both of them as the barriers that had held them back from feeling and touching finally broke with the declaration of Naruto's love.

She parted her lips and opened her mouth when he'd asked her without words. The shy brush of her tongue against his made him breathe in her cinnamony scent deeply and clasp her body more firmly against his. His hands were roving all over her, through her hair, threading through the strands as it grazed her back. Her hands, meanwhile, clutched at his shoulders and neck, but his lips remained steadfast on her mouth.

She laughed suddenly when he finally pulled back. "Okay, Naruto, you _still_ haven't asked me out!"

He chuckled. "Sorry! You're right!"


	20. Dating and Stuff

**Chapter 20: Dating and Stuff**

The first date, they decided was going to be in three days, which seemed so sudden to Hinata, but it was the only time they discovered was available to them in the immediate future. After that, they both had missions to complete and would be busy.

"So it's a date?" Naruto asked eagerly, his face so boyish, reminding her so much of the twelve-year-old genin he'd been. "So I'll pick you up in three days?"

"Yeah," she said when they'd arrived at the gates of the Hyuuga compound. He'd walked her home after their visit to Neji's grave.

"Hinata?" he asked with a smile, his face already anticipating the good-night kiss.

Hinata leaned up on her toes and kissed him briefly on the lips.

"Good night, Naruto."

"That's it? One teeny kiss?" He said with a teasing look in his eyes. "I won't see you for another three days! You should give me something more to remember you by."

Hinata laughed with exasperation. "You show me what you have in mind, then."

He grabbed her, making her cry out in surprise as he lifted her off her feet, his arms held her against his chest and planted his mouth over hers, opening her lips that she couldn't help but answer him with her own. Then he was licking her lips, nibbling the top, then the bottom, ceaselessly moving.

He was breathing hard when he finally broke off.

Hinata was quickly realizing that when it came to emotions, Naruto needed time to learn, feel, and sort them out. But when it came to physicality, particularly kissing and touching, he was a super quick study.

She had to laugh even as she felt herself blushing again as she looked up into his mischievous face.

He grinned at her. "See you in three days."

* * *

Naruto was so deliriously happy he told everyone.

To Shikamaru when he'd gone to pick up his mission documents at the Hokage's office: "So Hinata's my girl now. We're going on a date, in three days."

"Don't care, you pain in the ass," Shikamaru snorted even though he was secretly glad for the both of them. But he relented. "Fine. But now's not the time to be talking about it here."

Kakashi only looked on with a raised brow.

Then, "Let me know when you want to borrow my book."

Shikamaru frowned. "Hokage-sama! Please remember your dignity, the office that you hold."

Kakashi's voice was mild. "There's no rule in the books that say I can't. Hokages can read whatever they want."

Naruto left the Konoha gates early the next day waving to Izumo and Kotetsu. "When I'm back in Konoha, I'm going out with Hinata Hyuuga. On a _date_!"

They were snickering, but he didn't care.

"Lee, did I tell you that I'm going out with Hinata now? We're going on a date as soon as I come back from this mission."

"Yes, Naruto," his friend patiently replied. "This is the thirty-seventh time in the last hour that you've told me this. I know, because I've been counting."

"Naruto, if you mention _Hinata_ and _date_ one more time, I'm going to stuff my kunai into my ear," Tenten said with an annoyed huff. Then she glared at him. "Better yet, I'm stuffing it in _your_ ear."

"Sakura, guess who's going out with Hinata now and taking her out tomorrow?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first couple hundred times!" Sakura snapped with irritation when he got back from his mission with Tenten and Lee. He'd come to check on her at the hospital. He'd wanted to talk to her about Sasuke, but she'd only yelled at him to mind his own business. But the smile she'd flashed him was elated. Naruto was glad he wasn't the only one feeling jubilant.

"Well, I'm really happy for Hinata more than anything. But I'm also glad for you, too. You're obviously ecstatic—and obnoxious—about it, but you guys are in love so it can't be helped."

Naruto continued smiling as he looked at Sakura and realized with surprise that she'd been his first crush when he'd been younger. She'd been the catalyst to this whole business of love.

He grinned mischievously at her. "You know, I still love you, Sakura."

"What the hell?!" she yelled in surprise, snapping in half the pencil she'd been holding in her hand. She glared at him but then she laughed, understanding what he meant. "I'm just glad you've finally stopped pestering _me_ for a date!"

Her eyes gleamed at him, genuine happiness on her face. "See how wonderful it is to finally be in love with the _right_ girl?"

He laughed, completely agreeing with her. "Yeah! _Big_ difference! And I'm glad I finally understand all of it. But, Sakura, you're still one of my best friends. I'll never forget that."

She humphed as she leaned back in her chair, but her answering smile indicated she agreed with him.

Naruto continued beaming at her until her next question sent him into a sudden panic.

"So, where are you guys going for your date?" she asked with curiosity.

Sakura saw the sudden dread on his face and she groaned in disbelief. "You're _kidding_ me! You're such a freaking idiot! You've been going on and on about this date and you're telling me you haven't thought about where you're taking her?!"

Naruto gulped then tugged at his hair. "Argh! I totally forgot! What should I do?!"

"Naruto!" Her fingers were flexing so Naruto backed away a couple steps, away from her reach.

"No, Sakura! I was just kidding. Don't worry!" He laughed to reassure her, but even to him, it sounded so fake. Her eyes were narrowed. He laughed again, nervously this time. "I _got_ this! I know exactly where to take her tomorrow."

She glared at him suspiciously. "Don't ask her where she wants to go because that's totally lame."

"Eek!" There was a guilty look on his face. "Yeah, uh, no...I won't do that. That _is_ totally lame!"

She pinched the bridge of her nose to try to calm down and waited for him to answer the question. But as she looked at him desperately racking his brain to figure out where to take Hinata for their date, she knew that he was hopeless.

"Get out! I'm so done with you!"

He left her office in a hurry, but not before he heard her sigh and say, "God, _poor_ Hinata!"

Naruto ran into Shino and Kiba on his way home, still racking his brain for a place to take Hinata. But upon seeing them, his mood became playful again.

"Hey guys," he said, aiming an insufferable smile at Hinata's teammates.

Shino held up a hand. "Yes, Naruto. No need to say anything. Why? Because we already know."

"Huh?" Naruto said with a pout. "Shino, don't ruin my fun like that!"

Kiba smirked. "You forget who you're talking to, dumbass. I could _smell_ you on her."

Naruto blinked. "Smell?" Then he turned beet red when he finally understood. But he was also filled with satisfaction that he'd become part of her somehow, changed enough of her chemistry to allow his scent to linger on her. He felt giddy.

Kiba laughed, punched him on the arm and left him standing on the street. "Good luck on your first date!" he called out as he and Shino both walked away.

* * *

In the end, they'd gone to Ichiraku because Hinata had insisted.

"You love Ichiraku, and I love it, too. So what's the problem?"

"It's our first date. Shouldn't it be more special, somewhere not so normal, so _ordinary_?" Naruto said.

Hinata wouldn't budge. "Naruto, this will be the first time we'll be going there together as a _couple_. I think it's the perfect place for _our_ first date."

He shook his head. "No! Let's go to this other place, the new French restaurant that opened, the one that everyone is raving about. What's the name? Mason Shutter?"

He was dying to show her that he could be romantic, that he knew what to do with a girl. He was desperate. Naruto didn't want her to regret anything now that they were together.

She raised a brow and looked at him. "Are you talking about Maison Chateauroux?"

"Yes, that one!"

"The one where there's a two-month wait for a reservation?"

Naruto's heart sank. "Really?"

He hadn't realized—and now he was busted for not putting any thought into this first date. Damn, already he was failing at relationships!

But she laughed, took a step forward, and hugged him. Surprised because he hadn't expected her to do it, he only wrapped his arms around her instinctively as she continued to squeeze him and rubbed her nose against his collarbone. Then Hinata looked up at him, her eyes shining. "I love you for trying to impress me, but I want to go to Ichiraku. Naruto, please? Maybe we can go to that French restaurant next time?"

_Naruto, please?_

And he didn't have the heart to deny her when she looked so angelic and so perfect right there in the circle of his embrace.

But as he continued to hold her, he could feel her heart pounding against his chest.

"Wait, Hinata. Are you nervous?!" he asked in surprise.

She squeaked, tensing in his arms, but he only rubbed her back to help her relax.

She smiled at him then. "Yes," she admitted truthfully.

"Why?!" he asked with genuine bewilderment. "I saw you working at Suna and Kumo, talking to all those people, looking so relaxed. How come you're so nervous around me?"

Hinata's shy smile appeared again, humor making her eyes sparkle. "The difference is, I'm not in love with any of those people. I have no reason to impress them. You're the only one that matters. That's why you make me nervous."

Naruto could only gaze at her completely dumbfounded. "But…Hinata…"

His heart was bursting, he couldn't breathe. Now _he_ was becoming nervous as he was starting to understand how she was feeling.

"That's kind of why I want to go to Ichiraku? We both know the place, it's familiar. Baby steps into this whole dating thing?" she said softly. Then her lashes fluttered as she added, "Well, dating _you_."

And he was gone, tipped over the edge as she admitted her truth to him. He kissed her on the mouth, uncaring that they were in public because he wasn't going to be nervous or be shy about any of what _he_ was feeling. Not with Hinata, who had waited for him.

When he was able to look at her again, her smile was teasing.

"So Ichiraku, right? Naruto, you make me so nervous, I'm not even sure I'll be able to _eat_ ramen."

* * *

_Ugh. I'm so weak,_ Naruto thought as he lifted the curtain hanging over Ichiraku and motioned for Hinata to precede him into the restaurant.

It was her breathy voice that always defeated him.

But he beamed at Teuchi in greeting.

The ramen chef was there with the usual smile on his face, but his eyebrows rose in surprise when he saw them walking into the shop with clasped hands.

Ayame was there, too, and laughed at the startled look she saw on her father's face.

"Wait, Dad, don't tell me you're the only one who hasn't heard?! Naruto had practically broadcasted it to the _entire_ world."

Hinata turned red. Yes, he certainly had. She'd gone on her mission with Chouji and Ino only to come back to the Hyuuga house with Hanabi telling everyone that Naruto had pretty much told all of Konoha that the two of them were together.

Hanabi had actually rubbed her hands with glee. "Onee-sama! He's going to give me lots of material to make fun of you! He's perfect! You have to thank him for me!"

Hinata had to chase Hanabi around the kitchen to clap a hand over her mouth because her younger sister wouldn't stop impersonating Naruto and pretend to be talking about their date.

In the restaurant, as he sipped at his miso soup, Naruto thought Hinata sitting next to him at Ichiraku while they ate his favorite food was as close to heaven as there was. He watched the dainty way she ate her ramen and her happy face talking with Teuchi and his daughter.

"We'll take that extra heaping of chiarshiu, please," Hinata said with a pleased look, reminding the ramen chef of that time four years ago.

Teuchi and Ayame looked on at them with approval, teasing them both. The four of them chatted throughout the night. Sometimes, their shared laughter echoed throughout Ichiraku, one of the safe havens of Naruto's lonely childhood.

She'd been right. He was glad that Hinata had insisted they go to Ichiraku for dinner on this first date, to spend the evening with two people who'd watched both of them grow up and had been rooting for them to become a couple.

Old Man Teuchi looked like he wanted to cry and Naruto felt so much love for this chef who'd kept him fed when he was younger and had shown his affection through the language of food.

And afterwards, Naruto walked her home and was kissing her again— _again!_ —in front of her home, before she said goodnight and left him with a smile on his face and looking forward to the next time he would spend with her.

* * *

Naruto had walked away and was a few yards from the gate when he heard voices of men penetrate the stillness of the night. He recognized one of them as Hiashi Hyuuga's.

Sure enough, as Naruto rounded the corner, he came face to face with Hinata's father and the rest of her relatives.

Hiashi spotted Naruto and said to the other two, "I'll be with you in a second."

The others nodded at Naruto in greeting as they passed him. One of the men had a smile on his face. Naruto waited nervously for Hinata's father to speak.

"Good evening, sir."

"Naruto," Hiashi said, then remained silent as he gazed at the younger man.

Under his silent scrutiny, Naruto felt the sudden urge to explain himself. "Sir, I should've come to see you before tonight, to ask your permission to date Hinata, and I'm sorry that I didn't."

Hiashi held up a hand and shook his head. "No, there was no need. I'm the last person to dictate Hinata's life. She chose you. If she's happy with you, then I have no right to say anything."

"Sir, I—"

Hiashi interrupted him. "'Sir' seems a little bit awkward. I wish you'd stop calling me that."

Surprised, Naruto only stared at him. "Uh, Mr. Hyuuga?"

Hiashi laughed. "That's even worse." But he asked, "What do you usually call the older men of your acquaintance?"

Naruto answered without thinking, "Old Man."

"Old Man!" Hiashi repeated with a surprised chuckle. "That might do. What do you think, Naruto?"

" _Sir?!_ " Naruto asked, unable to believe the words coming from Hinata's father, especially as he was dressed in his formal kimono and exuded so much dignity. He didn't think he could call Hiashi Hyuuga _Old Man_ so he remained silent.

Hiashi chuckled again. "I apologize. I realize this might be awkward for you. But the only thing I have to say to you is that I hope Hinata continues to stay this joyful. If you cause her any hurt, you won't be dealing with me. You'll bring the wrath of the entire Hyuuga clan upon your head, so tread lightly, young man."

Naruto gulped. He got the message loud and clear. Hero status won't save him if he did anything to make Hinata suffer. He imagined hundreds of Hyuugas with their fierce byakugan eyes chasing him, knowing he wouldn't be able to hide from them, and he shuddered. But he would try his damndest to keep her happy.

"I won't do anything on purpose to hurt her," Naruto said, looking up into the older man's eyes, but being the kind of person that he was, he _did_ worry that he might do something inadvertently to cause her pain.

Hiashi nodded. " _I_ know that, but as I said, the clan is very protective of her, so it's only a warning. I am pleased for her, to see her so full of happiness, so different from before. My fault, of course. I've wronged her in the past, but she's very forgiving. You'll soon discover that for yourself."

Naruto didn't know what to say so he just nodded.

"It took me a while to understand that she's someone to be treasured," Hiashi said with a sigh filled with regret. He looked at Naruto, saw the earnest expression of love on his face and knew he had no cause to worry about the two of them. "But I think you already know that about her."

"I do, Sir," Naruto said, but he shook his head and said, "Er, Old Man Hiashi."

Hiashi smiled. "I bid you goodnight, then, Naruto. And you're more than welcome to stop by at our place, any time."

He bowed low then left Naruto staring at him. When the older man had rounded the corner and was out of his sight, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. He'd gotten out of that conversation pretty mildly. He'd been scared of Hinata's father and had dreaded this meeting, but it seemed as if the older man wouldn't go against his daughter's choice...of a boyfriend.

Boyfriend. Hinata's. Her man. So that's what he was now. Naruto was Hinata's boyfriend, and she was his girlfriend. He had to shake his head at the thought. It seemed so long ago that he'd thought of her as just a friend, one who'd always had his back.

But he liked being her boyfriend better, he thought to himself with a secret smile. There were just so many things a boyfriend could do with a girl...Naruto closed his eyes, felt again her lips pressing against his, the warmth of her hands against his back, and _his_ hands tangling in the hair at her back.

Naruto couldn't imagine anything better than this.


	21. Romancing Naruto

**Chapter 21: Romancing Naruto**

On their second date, Hinata brought her birthday gift for Naruto. It was weeks late because it had taken longer than she'd anticipated to get everything done. She carried it in her bag and was planning on handing it to him after they had dinner, but she was so nervous that she'd caved in to her anxiety and just decided to hand it over as soon as she saw him.

"I promised you a birthday gift months ago. I'm sorry it's late, but happy birthday, Naruto," she said as she gave it to him.

Naruto looked at her with surprise and then a pleased smile stole over his face. "You didn't have to, you know. I was just happy to get your gift."

She had to laugh. "Naruto, I gave you a _pebble_. That's not a gift!"

"From _you_ , it is!" He grinned and kissed her hand before he took the rectangular package. He shook it and placed it close to his ear. "Thank you!"

She blushed. "The note was only temporary, something to kind of hold you over until I got your gift ready. I already knew what I wanted to give you but I just needed time."

He laughed. "Is that even a thing? A temporary gift?"

But his fingers were already untying the cheerful bow wrapped around the orange packaging.

"I know it's a few months late," she said nervously as she watched him tear the wrapper. "But I just felt it was something I should hand to you directly and not just slip into your apartment when you're away."

He unwrapped it eagerly. When he opened the box, his breath came out in a gasp. He looked at her. Tears were in his eyes.

"Hinata…"

* * *

_Two months before..._

"A photo of Minato and Kushina together?" Kakashi asked her.

She nodded as she stood before the Hokage in his office, keeping her hands at her sides. She'd resisted the urge to tap her index fingers together, she was so proud. Hinata knew it was very bold of her to ask him, but he'd been the only one she could approach with her request. Since he had been part of Minato's team, the current Hokage was the only one she knew of who might have access to the things she needed.

Kakashi sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry Hinata, I don't have any photos of them, to my everlasting sorrow. There hadn't been any time to take such photos during our time."

Hinata swallowed her disappointment. She'd tried her best. Kakashi had been her last best hope.

"Okay, thank you anyway, Hokage-sama. I know you're a busy man, and I appreciate you taking the time to see me today."

During their trip to Kumo together, when she'd heard him talking about his mother, she'd wondered if Naruto had any photos of her. Instinctively, she'd known that he probably didn't, and her heart ached, had felt sorrow for the boy, the man he was if he didn't have any. She decided that she would like to do something about it if that was the case. For his birthday, she'd known that having a photo of his mother or his parents would be something that he might appreciate as a gift.

But to not have _any_ photos now was crushing. Hinata hadn't been able to find any photos of Kushina Uzumaki anywhere.

She was going to have to get Naruto another gift, then.

"But," Kakashi said, making her look at him in hope. "Maybe Shikamaru could use your help?"

Shikamaru grinned at her. "If you don't mind, Hinata, we need help at the archives, organizing the personnel files and histories of previous Konoha shinobi. There might be a couple of profiles that you'd be interested in. Lots of things are included in those files, including pictures."

On hearing the news, Hinata had rushed forward and hugged Shikamaru with joy, dislodging the files he'd carried in his hands. Kakashi had laughed as she'd apologized to them both and hurriedly helped Shikamaru pick up the documents on the floor.

While Hinata had been at work organizing the files, she'd found the photos she needed and "borrowed" them for a couple of weeks. Even though it was against the archives' policies to take items out of the place, the fact that Shikamaru and the Hokage had suggested that she work on them surely meant it was okay.

She'd had to wait for Sai to come back home from his missions to ask him to help her out.

"You want me to make a painting of the two of them together?" he'd asked her as he glanced back at the two separate headshot photos she'd placed in his hands.

"They're Naruto's parents. I was wondering if you could create something from these two photos? Something I could frame and give to him for his birthday?"

Sai had looked dubious. "I'm not sure I can do it, Hinata. I've never done anything like this before."

"Can you give it a try, at least?" she'd asked. She smiled. "I'll take anything at this point. You're an amazing artist, Sai. I have complete faith in you. If you can get Ino to help you, it might be easier?"

Sai looked at her in surprise. "Did she tell you?"

She shook her head with a laugh. "No, she didn't need to. I see the way you guys are with each other."

And Sai smiled, finally understanding. "I'll see what I can do for you."

"Thanks, Sai," Hinata said as she grasped both of his hands, her heart in her eyes. "I really appreciate it."

And now, looking at the picture in Naruto's hands and the tears in his eyes, she was glad she'd hit upon the perfect gift to make him happy.

* * *

There they were, his parents. His mother, with her long, red hair flowing behind her, was looking up at Minato with adoration shining in her eyes. One dainty hand was resting on his father's chest. Minato, meanwhile, had an arm wrapped around her side, his hand was clasping the one Kushina had placed on his chest. He was looking down at her with such a tender look in his eyes and in his smile, Naruto couldn't bear it. It was exactly the way he'd imagined how his mother and father would be, gazing at each other with love and respect, both looking so happy to be with each other.

He recognized the brushstrokes of Sai's work.

He swallowed at the lump in his throat. He would treasure this gift always.

"Hinata...thank you," he was barely able to get out before he crushed her to him, the picture frame clutched against her back, his arms not long enough to wrap her in his love.

How he ever got lucky to have a woman like Hinata love him, he would never question. And the fact that she'd thought to give him this present even _before_ he'd told her of his feelings made him still reel with wonder.

If he wasn't already so in love with her, this thoughtful gift would probably have pushed him over the cliff. Somehow, Hinata had always been so attuned to him, to his thoughts and his emotions. And he wondered again why it had taken him so long to recognize his feelings for her.

"I love you, Hinata," he whispered in her ear but it just seemed so inadequate for what he felt for her.

"And I love your birthday present. It's of my parents, but every time I look at it, I'll always remember that it came from you."

"I'm so glad you like it," she said against his chest, breathing in the scent of him. The smile on her face was filled with happiness, and he knew she was overjoyed because _he_ was happy.

There was no hope for it. Naruto was sinking deeper into the pit, unequivocally falling more deeply in love with Hinata. He was never going to be able to escape from it, and he found that he really didn't want to.

* * *

"Sai! I know you're in there! Open up!" he yelled as he banged on the door to Sai's apartment. "I need to see you!"

He heard his friend sigh behind the closed door and the sound of a lock being unbolted.

"Naruto, you're kind of intruding right now," Sai said as he opened the door a crack.

"I know! And I'm sorry, but I just wanted to say thanks for—"

"Is that Naruto, Sai?" came a lilting voice from inside, and Naruto recognized Ino's voice.

He looked at Sai, whose face remained expressionless.

"Wait, did I just hear Ino?" he asked with surprise, and then more loudly, "In your apartment?!"

He heard laughter coming from inside the room. "Sai, why don't you let him in? You know he's dying with curiosity."

Sai sighed, but he answered, "I really don't want to, Ino."

More laughter. Then he opened the door wider and turned to Naruto, "All right. Come in then."

Naruto was quiet as he entered Sai's apartment. Ino was sitting on the couch, cross-legged, her hair was unbound, and she was leafing through a magazine. She was still in her pajamas. One hand held a mug of steaming coffee.

She smiled at him cheerfully, noting the pink that tinged his cheeks.

"Morning, Naruto," she said in a sing-song voice. "What brings you to Sai's apartment this early?"

Sai came to join her on the couch and Naruto stood looking awkwardly at the two of them, not knowing what to say. This was not what he was expecting when he'd come to see Sai.

"Wait, are you guys together now?" he asked in disbelief. "When did that happen?"

"Yes," Sai said. "We've been dating for a year now, but you just never asked or noticed."

Ino grinned at him. "Hinata knew, though."

"Huh?" Naruto asked. But at the mention of Hinata, he remembered why he'd barged in on the two of them unannounced. He sat down across from them on the rug.

"Oh, yeah! And that's why I'm here! I came to say thanks for the painting you did, Sai. Hinata gave me the present a week ago, but I kept forgetting to come say thanks to you. I only remembered it today and I didn't want to forget again, which is why I'm here now."

"Oh!" said Ino and she shared a look with Sai.

"Well, I'm glad you liked it, Naruto, but it wasn't my idea. Hinata dug up the photos and asked me to paint it. It was all her that did it."

"But I really do appreciate the painting, Sai. I finally have a picture of my parents in my apartment."

Sai finally smiled at him, a genuine smile filled with happiness. "That's good. She said that might be the case."

Naruto grinned at him, then he looked again from Ino to Sai, then from Sai to Ino. "So you guys are a couple, too."

"And you and Hinata, now, too!" Ino said with a smile. "Finally, you stupid idiot! I'm so happy for her, of course, but I'm relieved that you've figured it out for yourself. Hinata said she didn't even need to do anything. It was you who approached her, and all on your own."

Naruto's sigh was heartfelt. "Ino! You're not the only one who's ecstatic to know I can figure out this whole business of love."

Ino snorted with laughter. "Yeah! You and all of Konoha, pretty much!"

Naruto groaned. "Oh, god. So it was pretty much me who didn't know then?"

Another chuckle from Ino. "Even _Sai_ saw it, which makes you the most clueless person in the world."

"Hey!" came Sai's mild protest, which made Ino laugh again.

Naruto momentarily buried his face in his arms as he placed them on top of Sai's coffee table. He groaned with embarrassment. "Yeah, I know, and that's saying a lot!"

He looked up and saw Ino was still smiling at him.

Her voice teasing, she said, "I still can't believe it took you so long to realize it! You're so dense!"

She'd expected him to reply in the same tone, but there was a serious, wistful look on his face. "Ino, I just found it really hard that anybody could love me the way Hinata does, you know? Of course, I've thought of girls and relationships, before, but I just never thought it was something for me. I was prepared to go through life alone because it seemed to be my fate. You guys know what I am."

He shrugged, and the smile on his face seemed a little sad.

"Oh, Naruto!" Ino cried softly as she got off the couch and came next to him. She gave him a hug, which startled Naruto and forced him to return it with a look of apology at Sai, who only smiled at them from the couch.

Sai's expression was filled with understanding. After all, Sai had been the one to see and understand how Karui had nearly beaten Naruto to death when he'd decided to take on the hate of the world. He could understand Naruto's feelings of inadequacy when it came to being loved. To become a vessel of hate, love needed to be purged out of you.

Naruto patted Ino on the back and she pulled back to look at his face and hear him speak.

"It just felt like it wasn't meant to be, you know what I mean? I've always felt like I'm not the type of guy that girls chase after. When we were younger, it was always guys like Sasuke who got the attention."

Ino didn't say anything but flushed as she looked at him then at Sai. Sai only raised a brow.

He continued, "Then we're talking about Hinata, who all this time, I've always thought of as a friend because she's just in a different class. I mean, just _look_ at her. And then there's her being a Hyuuga and all. Even now, I still feel like I don't deserve her love."

Ino gave him another squeeze, which Naruto returned. She then went back to the couch and sat next to Sai, who took her hand and held it. She tried to reassure Naruto with her next words. "Well, Hinata clearly loves you. She's _always_ loved you, always been loyal to you, if you can believe it."

Naruto nodded. "Oh, I do, Ino! _Now_ , I can."

He looked up again with a rueful smile. "You're right, but I'm a slow learner, you know. Always have been. Ino, I'm going to make this right for Hinata."

She nodded with satisfaction. "You better!"

She then flashed another smile at him. "You know, that gift was so thoughtful. Hinata's just always had you in her heart all this time."

"I know," Naruto said, and they all heard the gratitude in his voice.

Since he was with Ino, he couldn't resist asking about their other friends. "So you obviously know that Shikamaru and Temari are getting married?"

"Yes, isn't it great?" Ino answered with delight. "I can't believe she said yes, but I'm happy for the both of them. Chouji hasn't proposed yet but he's working up the nerve to do it."

She then enlightened Naruto with other relationship news. "Tenten and Lee went out a couple of times but they haven't said anything about their relationship, whether they're together or not."

Naruto was surprised. "What?! I was with them a couple weeks ago and they both didn't say anything at all."

Sai answered for Ino. "Yeah, we just don't know what's going on with those two."

Naruto was quiet, wondering about Tenten and Lee. Soon, he said, "Imagine that, though. We might all be in relationships. It's a little strange if you think about it."

Ino laughed again and Sai smiled, too. They sat grinning at each other until Ino suddenly became serious.

"Naruto, speaking of relationships…"

"Ino, maybe not the time?" Sai asked as he laid a hand on her arm.

Ino shook her head, but smiled at him and turned back to Naruto. She continued, "Listen, I can tell that you guys are okay and that you're in love, but there's one thing I want you to understand."

Naruto was looking at her with a frown, not liking her tone.

Her voice hardened when she saw his frown. "Naruto, don't pressure Hinata into sex. You tend to get carried away with things, and you know how kind she is. I don't want you to make her feel like she's obligated to have sex with you!"

"Obligated to have sex with me?!" Naruto yelled in disbelief, glaring at her. "What the hell is that?! Is that even a thing?!"

"Yes," Sai quickly said.

From his tone of voice, it sounded like he had experience so Naruto looked curiously at the both of them.

Ino made a fist and punched Sai in the arm, growling, "Sai! The way you just said it, you made it seem like I forced you to have sex with _me_!"

Naruto laughed.

Sai took a moment to realize that he'd made a mistake and his face set into an expression that resembled embarrassment. "That's not what I meant!"

He quickly rifled through the stacks of magazines on his coffee table and grabbed the one he was searching for. "No, not _us_ personally. It's a real thing! Not for me and Ino, but it says so in this magazine here."

He found the page and handed it to Naruto.

"Okay, okay," Naruto said as he glanced at the title, _How to Have Obligatory Sex in Ten Easy Steps_.

"I get it. No, I'm not going to pressure her. I promise you, Ino. It's _only_ going to happen when Hinata says she's okay with the whole thing. I never go back on my word. But you don't have to worry about it! Hinata's not the type of girl to be asking for sex."

Sai nodded in understanding.

Ino only shook her head at him, fighting a laugh. _Yeah, keep thinking that, Naruto._

Then she grinned at him, keeping a secret to herself.

_She might just surprise you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That magazine article is based on a real post online...oh, the things you can google :)


	22. The Hyuugas

**Chapter 22: The Hyuugas**

If Naruto had been crazy before, love made him even more ridiculous. He was often found at the gates of Konoha waiting for Hinata to show up, tearing his hair out and pacing, muttering to himself if she was even a minute late from the arrival time she'd told him. It gave Kotetsu and Izumo hours of entertainment.

"It's 3:05, Naruto! She's five minutes late!" And the two of them cackled when he glared at them.

Naruto claimed her, using everything in his arsenal to mark Hinata unequivocally as his woman, making Kurama growl at the abuse of his Kyuubi power. He'd shamelessly cloak her in his Nine-tails chakra to warn others to stay away from her. He would inject enough menace to let other men know not to approach her, especially when they were together.

It usually worked, until Naruto stopped for a while when he thought every male got the message. A few weeks later, though, people forgot and sometimes somebody new to Konoha would approach this pretty woman who had the crazy boyfriend. Then Naruto would start walking around in his full beast mode again, following Hinata as she ran errands around Konoha.

"Naruto! Stop it! This is a bit much," she said with a frown.

"No, it's not. Don't mind me. Just keep doing what you're doing. I'm not here."

And yet, he was hard to miss when he glowed like the sun.

He'd never noticed it before they were a couple, but he was now seeing that a lot of men were often flicking their gaze to her purple top, or her exposed arms and legs whenever she wore her mission gear. It was driving him insane, until he'd developed the habit of taking off his jacket and wrapping it around her.

"Naruto! It's broiling today!" she said laughingly, but she'd kept it on anyway.

He'd driven the Hyuugas crazy by prowling in front of the gates of their compound. He knew, of course, that she was away from the village, but he somehow felt a little bit better to be close to her home, where he can still feel a part of her presence.

"She's not here, Naruto," Hiashi said one day when he couldn't stand seeing Naruto dig a path in the ground with his constant pacing by the entrance. "She's on a mission, but come in for some tea. You can wait for her inside."

Though he was touched by the gesture, Naruto preferred to be outside. He was still extremely nervous around her father, still unsure how to behave around such a dignified presence who wasn't a friend, and so he refused. Hiashi went inside, after pausing to look into his face.

His younger daughter stayed at the gates, though.

"She's not here, Naruto-niisama," Hanabi told him, her voice a fair imitation of her father's cool tone. Despite the chill in her voice, he felt a spurt of happiness at her calling him older brother.

Suddenly, her eyes lit with laughter. "But she'll be back tonight. Why don't you join us for dinner then? Before that, come inside. You should have tea with us."

And because she had asked so sweetly, he had joined them, only to find out what Hanabi had in mind when she'd offered her invitation. She'd plied him with some delicious green tea and the delicate cakes that the Hyuugas often served with it. When he was full and sated, she'd abruptly grabbed his arm and shoved him out into a wide courtyard.

He suddenly found himself standing directly a few feet away from her as they bowed to each other then formed the hand seal for shinobi battle.

Next thing Naruto knew, she was flying at him, her byakugan activated, hands up and aiming for his chakra points. Her eyes were blazing as she tried her damndest to maim him.

He'd been forced to draw out his beast mode, making sure not to hurt her, as she continued her relentless attacks.

"Is that all you got?" she taunted after he'd blocked one of her blows. "I want to see that rasengan!"

She'd planned on using him as a sparring partner, shamelessly using his rasengan to train for her match against Konohamaru.

He could only laugh and appreciate Hanabi for what she was: a shinobi driven to succeed, but who'd loved her older sister enough to unexpectedly invite her boyfriend to dinner. She was trying to let him inside, into the family they had.

So Naruto did the only thing he could, he fought her, not letting up and not patronizing her skills as a warrior. She met his rasengan and his attacks as best as she could. Though her skills were formidable, her movements still had the childish kinks that would be eventually ironed out by more hours of training. But she was _good_.

And Naruto thought he was the luckiest person in the world that Hinata's younger sister liked him. He was quickly learning that you just don't mess with the Hyuugas and their byakugan. He could imagine what it would be like for the person whoever crossed Hanabi. He felt a twinge of pity for poor Konohamaru. Naruto was just going to have to root for _both_ of them during the exams.

Still with her byakugan activated, she suddenly held up an imperious hand, telling him to stop. She was breathing hard, but she straightened up. She deactivated her byakugan. "Our battle ends here," she told him.

Naruto grinned. Damn, she could give Kakashi-sensei a run for his money. She was already used to commanding people.

She looked at his dirty orange sweats and said. "We have a private onsen you can soak in before dinner. We'll have your clothes cleaned as well. That should make you presentable enough for dinner."

Hanabi bowed low. "Thank you for the match." She stepped away and strode into the house.

Koh, one of the attendants and chuunin who'd been watching their sparring, came forward with a friendly smile. "Naruto, do you want to come follow me? It's this way."

Naruto whistled. "Wow, a private onsen."

Koh smiled. "Yes, the view's amazing."

* * *

Meanwhile, Hanabi ran to the gates. Her sister had just arrived home. She ran to Hinata with arms outstretched, waiting for her customary hug. She hoped her sister would still be smiling at her with that sweet smile in a few minutes.

Hanabi pulled back and wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, Onee-sama, you smell!"

Hinata chuckled, "I can't help it. We were out at the farms. They just happened to be laying down the fertilizers today."

"Yeah, yeah," Hanabi said, pulling her into the bedroom. "Come on, time for a bath. Dinner will be ready, soon, I think."

They walked to the bathhouse, Hanabi had a towel wrapped around her body and was chattering happily away as Hinata tried to keep pace with the conversation. Her sister seemed unusually chipper today.

A sudden movement and a gasp made her look up and lock gazes with blue eyes. She found herself face to face with Naruto, who was just coming out of the bathhouse with only a short towel wrapped around his hips.

She nearly fainted, but she had the presence of mind to wrap her arms more tightly around the towel wound around her own body.

There was a suspicious giggle coming from Hanabi, who was covering her mouth with her hands, but whose eyes had zeroed in on Naruto's stomach, at the delineated lines of his abdomen, at the area just above the towel. She then swept him with another glance that took in his entire freshly-washed, lean, muscled form and flashed her older sister a wicked smile.

With a dramatic sigh, Hanabi said, "Well, _now_ I get it. This explains _everything_!"

Then she ran away, leaving the two of them to deal with the mayhem she'd just created. "I'm getting in the water first!" she called out with a laugh.

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut and breathed in deeply. " _Oh, god!_ Hanabi! I will kill her!"

Naruto laughed, causing her to open her eyes. He stood about a foot from her and she could feel the warmth from his heated body, the smell of soap on his freshly-washed skin. He was flushed, whether from the bath or from embarrassment, she didn't know. All she knew was that he didn't have any stitch of clothing underneath that towel.

Her breath came out a whoosh. She felt so hot.

_Okay, be normal. Talk. Say something!_

She managed to smile at him with apology. "I'm sorry for Hanabi. She's gotten so wild."

He laughed again. "Yeah, but she invited me to dinner tonight. That's why I'm here."

"She never mentioned anything when I saw her at the entrance, but I'm glad you'll be joining us," she said. She still held onto the towel with a death grip.

"I'm looking forward to dinner," he said with a grin. "It will be interesting to spend time with all of you guys."

Hinata managed to smile. "Yeah, but please don't expect too much. We dine simply. Hanabi and I usually take turns with the cooking whenever we can…"

But she broke off, suddenly distracted when her eye caught a droplet of water sliding from his wet hair. She followed its slow path down his chest, his abdomen, and into the towel wrapped around his waist.

She looked up into his eyes and realized he'd just caught her staring at his almost naked body.

"Sorry! I need to take a bath!" she said with a sudden squeak. "I'll see you later!"

And she ran as fast as she could, away from his attentive eyes.

* * *

Naruto laughed as Hinata disappeared in a blur. This day was getting more surreal than he'd expected. But he felt a tide of happiness flow through him and was flattered by the sudden interest he'd seen in her eyes when she'd run her gaze down his body.

From just beyond a wall, he suddenly heard girlish shrieking and water splashing as Hinata's angry voice called out, "Hanabi, you little brat! You are _so_ dead! Come here so I can strangle you!"

And Hanabi calling out unrepentantly as more splashing echoed throughout, "You need to catch me first, Onee-sama!"

He continued grinning.

But his glimpse of Hinata wrapped only in a towel had fueled another heat within him. He hadn't realized blushes didn't stop at the neck. She had blushed all _throughout_ her body, from her ears down to her toes.

He'd seen the delicate flood of color start at her cheeks and pool right at the valley where her breasts had met, right above the towel she'd wrapped around herself. Right underneath where the towel ended, though, at the top of her thighs, a different shade of pink…

Naruto suddenly cursed at the direction of his thoughts. Hell, he was about to have dinner with her and her _father_! He shook his head and thought about things that would cool him—cold showers, mission documents from Shikamaru, Sakura's fists aiming for his head, Iruka-sensei's disapproving look, and finally Hiashi Hyuuga's byakugan eyes... that could look through walls and could, at this moment, probably be searching for him.

It worked. He was cold sober in an instant.

"Naruto," Koh suddenly called from behind him. He held his orange trainers in his arms and handed it to him. "Sorry to keep you waiting for your clothes."

"Thanks, Koh! I need to put these on quickly!" he said with relief.

* * *

Dinner with the Hyuugas was an interesting affair. The table was spread with the most delicate food he'd ever seen. It was like dining at an expensive restaurant. He gazed at the plates filled with perfectly cut vegetables, braised meat in soy sauce, and steaming white rice. His mouth watered at the sliced sashimi and fish in the middle of the table. He couldn't even count the other side dishes arranged on the table.

_This_ was simple dining?!

Naruto gave Hinata an amused look. She returned it with her puzzled one, but he said nothing as she sat next to him on the tatami floor.

Hiashi ate his food quietly, and spoke to his daughters, asking them about their day. Occasionally, he asked Naruto questions about various missions and life in general. Naruto answered him as best as he could, fighting through his nervousness. But it eventually became easier to talk to Hinata's father as the older man just nodded and spoke to him in a mild voice. He didn't sense any disapproval from Hiashi, which made Naruto feel that he was accepting of their relationship.

Hanabi, meanwhile, pestered him every chance she could about the various ways his rasengan could be applied and changed. She was laser-minded in her focus and he tried to help her come up with a strategy for her chuunin exams. Occasionally, he heard her mumble something about Konohamaru under her breath.

Hinata kept up the conversation and made sure that everyone was talking, all while she continued piling his plate with food, keeping her father's tea re-filled, and keeping Hanabi's elbows off the table.

She was elegant and graceful as she ate and kept the mood at the dinner table light and pleasant.

Naruto enjoyed every single moment of it as he watched Hinata, Hanabi, and her father. There was obvious affection between the sisters and respect for their father. Though it wasn't as obvious as the girls', there was fondness from Hiashi for his two daughters.

So this was what it meant to have dinner with a family, Naruto thought with a stab in his heart. And he felt grateful again to the Hyuugas for opening up their home to him.

When the dinner plates were cleared, Hinata poured all of them some green tea and placed a plate full of fruits and Japanese sweets in the middle of the table. She smiled up at Naruto as she handed him a cup of the hot drink, then she brushed at the crumbs of food that had fallen on his shirt. He squeezed her hand. Across the table, he saw Hanabi suddenly sit up with a gleam in her eyes. She'd seen them touching each other.

Hiashi suddenly cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. Naruto and the Hyuuga sisters looked at him.

Hiashi skewered his younger daughter with a look. "Hanabi, what happened at the bathhouse this evening before dinner will never happen again."

"Yes, Father," she answered composedly as she sipped her tea with dignity.

A few beats later, she said, "In the bathhouse, no more. Luckily, the Hyuuga house has twenty-three _other_ rooms."

" _Hanabi!_ " came her older sister's shocked voice as she set her cup down with a loud thump, sending her tea sloshing all over the table.

Naruto discovered that when he was around his girlfriend's father, he could be dignified enough to not spit out hot tea from his mouth. Instead, he let it scald his tongue and burn his throat as he swallowed painfully.

He met Hanabi's eyes across the table. He pressed his lips together to fight his grin and winked at her. Her answering wink went straight to his heart.

Hiashi sighed heavily, wondering whether this imp of a daughter had really sprung from his loins.

* * *

Naruto's arms were tight around her as his lips worked languidly on her parted mouth. They were at the entrance to the Hyuuga compound, saying goodbye, but he didn't want to go home yet, back to his lonely apartment when he'd just been in the presence of her and her family. He'd been so happy sharing that dinner with them, spending time with precocious and adorable Hanabi in the afternoon as they both waited for her.

Hinata was leaning against him, sighing against his lips, her breath fanned out and brushed against his cheeks. Her hands were in his hair, gently massaging his scalp.

It was difficult to tear himself away from her embrace, from her warmth. The lush contours of her body fit him perfectly. Naruto felt every curve through his clothes. The image of her wrapped this evening in only a towel was firmly planted in his mind, and he let his imagination guide him. The heady scent of her filled him, made him drunk and unable to think as his hands pressed her body close to his, drifted down her back, then lower to cup her—

"Ahem!" came a voice from behind her. They both broke apart and saw Hinata's scowling grandfather a few feet away.

He shook his cane at them and glared at Naruto. With a steely look at the couple, he said, "Affection has a time and place, but not at our gates, and not to this level."

"Yes, Grandfather," Hinata said with a blush, but she gripped Naruto's hand to prevent him from drawing away. She looked up at him with a smile. "Good-night, Naruto. Thanks for joining us for dinner today."

"Thanks for having me," he said. He glanced at her grandfather. "Good night, sir."

The older man nodded but he didn't move from his place.

Hinata slanted her grandfather a quick, defiant look, then leaned up and kissed Naruto briefly on the lips.

"I love you," she murmured. "I'll see you in a couple of days when you get back from your mission."

He grinned at her with approval. "Yup!"

With a last bow at the two of them, he turned around and headed back to his place.

* * *

"Onee-sama, are you mad at me?"

Hinata looked up from the document she'd been poring over and found her sister hiding behind the door to her bedroom. Hanabi had a genuine look of apology on her face.

Hinata laughed and opened her arms.

Hanabi launched herself into her sister's embrace. The two of them fell back against the soft futon mat laying above the tatami in Hinata's room. The futon made a loud whoosh as it sent the document she'd been holding floating up in the air.

"You've been playing tricks on me for years! You know I can never get mad at you, Hanabi," Hinata said as she squeezed her sister tight.

Hanabi sighed. "Yeah, but this time around, I got Naruto-niisama involved, too."

Hinata's laughter was filled with happiness. "Oh, don't worry about _that_. He thought it was really funny. Hanabi, he thinks you're amazing, you minx."

She ruffled her younger sister's hair. "But having two pranksters in my life makes me so worried now."

Hanabi laughed, then she fell silent.

Hinata continued to hug her sister even though she was tired. She'd missed her sister when she'd been traveling on all her missions these last couple years. Now that she was back home, she didn't want to miss seeing Hanabi grow up, and she was doing that so quickly.

"Onee-sama, are you happy?"

Hinata's heart gave a leap. She pressed a kiss on the top of her sister's head. "I _am_ , Hanabi."

"Good. That's all that matters."


	23. Exploration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating has been changed. Tags updated.  
> We are now entering into sexy time territory...

**Chapter 23: Exploration**

Naruto discovered that one of the best things he loved about having Hinata in his life was testing his limits. She'd allowed him to touch her body, and he took every opportunity he could.

When they were out on their dates or just together in town, he liked putting his hand on the small of her back whenever the opportunity presented itself. To the outside, it looked very dignified, something men did with their ladies. But if he could just finagle it a little bit, he could actually put his ring and pinky fingers right on the top curve of her buttock without her noticing it.

"Naruto, I know what you're doing," she said calmly, but there was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes as she shot him a sideways look.

He grinned back at her. "Sure, but that doesn't sound like you're telling me to stop it, though."

She didn't say anything, but her lips twitched as they continued walking down the Konoha street. They were on their way to the archives to pick up documents that Shikamaru had needed for a letter he was drafting to the other kages. Hinata knew where they were since it had been part of her previous training.

Naruto was done with his mission and had just gotten back. He was tagging along because he had nothing else better to do.

"We're out in public," she warned him.

He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer to his body, his hand still on the small of her back. His mouth close to her ear, he whispered, "We're _out_ in public."

His tone dropped suggestively. "When you're done, how about we get out of public and be indoors then?"

She flushed but raised a brow, and her gaze on him was speculative. "Okay."

She'd called his bluff; his breath caught in surprise.

"I'll be done in an hour. I'll be at your place then."

"Really?!" His voice came out in a higher pitch than he'd like.

Naruto had barely gotten his apartment clean when she knocked at the door. She'd been prompt, arriving at the appointed time.

He'd pulled her in as soon as he opened the door. She walked straight into his waiting arms and his seeking mouth. They stood in the entranceway for a few minutes kissing, his hands busy kneading her back, dropping down to cup the curve of her butt. When she didn't protest, he pulled her closer and pressed her against the lower half of his body.

She gasped then, but she continued kissing him. All this time, her arms had been wrapped around his back, her hands gripping his shirt. When he'd brought their bodies together, she'd slowly moved her hands to his hips and then moved back to experimentally cup and then squeeze _his_ butt. She ran her hands up to his lower back, directly onto his skin, under his t-shirt, then the tips of her fingers were suddenly under the garters of his underwear.

"Hinata!" he squeaked in surprise, his lips still pressed against hers.

He suddenly felt faint.

Naruto broke the kiss and dragged in a deep breath. He looked at her flushed face, her pink lips, and her eyes so drowsy, looking at him like she wanted to do more.

"I need to sit down," he said.

She blinked. Then she looked down and realized she still had her boots on and they were still standing at his entranceway.

She laughed. "Do you want to invite me in for tea?"

It worked, dispelling a little bit of the fog of lust that lingered over both of them. Naruto's head cleared enough to make him realize that this was the first time she'd ever been in his apartment.

"Right!" he said with an embarrassed laugh. "Come in!"

And he dragged her into the living room where he'd meant to serve her some of the tea she'd suggested. Instead, he found himself sitting on the couch with Hinata's legs draped over his thighs as she sat leaning her right side against him. Her face was upturned, her lips opened to his curious mouth.

"Hinata, are you really okay with this?" he whispered, unable to believe that his shy Hinata was letting him run his hands all over her bare skin.

"Yes," she said with a sigh, but her lavender eyes were a little bit apprehensive. "And you are, too? Anything goes?"

He laughed. "I'll do whatever you want me to do."

"We're just going to explore, right?" she asked shyly as he looked into her rosy face.

"Anything! Whatever you want to do. I'll follow your lead," he said, trying to be cool, but he had serious doubts about his self-control.

At his words, she slowly took off her shirt, but she'd kept her bra on. She was still wearing her shorts. And his eyes nearly crossed as he finally saw what she'd been hiding underneath her clothes. She was beautiful, looking lush and velvety underneath the evening sunlight reflecting off her dewy skin.

Though he knew it would be dangerous, he'd taken off his shirt, too, because she'd asked him to.

"I just want to feel your skin against mine," she said, her voice full of curiosity, letting her fingers flit on his chest, one hand on his back as she hugged him.

"You feel so nice," she murmured with a sigh.

 _She_ did, too. Her skin was so soft but he could see the scars from her years of training and fighting. Still, as he slid his palms all over her midriff, they didn't diminish her beauty. The scent of her, apples and cinnamon, also filled his lungs, fanning his lust.

He knew she could probably feel him growing hard underneath her thighs, but she wasn't complaining and didn't mention anything as her mouth left his. She feathered his cheek and his neck with kisses, then she was at his shoulder, nipping lightly with her teeth and licking with her tongue.

Hinata...liked to explore with her mouth, he suddenly realized. His imagination went into overdrive.

Naruto was hot and feverish, and burning up more as he slowly ran his hands up her arms, then along her shoulders and slowly trailed his fingers down to her breasts.

He'd been dreaming of them ever since he'd discovered they existed. And they were just as heavenly as he'd expected them to be. Her skin was creamy, but rosy now as his fingers dipped into her bra and started kneading. She gasped, and her arms came up, tightened around his neck. She buried her face against his shoulder and he felt her teeth on his skin again, causing him to scrape his thumb against her sensitive nipple.

He did it again to the other nipple, and her back arched, pushing her breast closer to his hand, and her butt pressed too hard against the buttons of his orange sweats. Her breath came out in a soft cry of pleasure.

It was all too much for his already overly-stimulated body.

He'd barely been able to say, "Sorry!" when suddenly he'd grasped her and flung her abruptly onto the couch. He'd quickly run to the bathroom. A few minutes later, he came out in a t-shirt and a new pair of pants.

"Oh," Hinata said, clearly puzzled by the new change of clothes.

And then it hit her.

" _Oh!"_ She was flushing and laughing at the same time.

At the sound of her soft laughter, his face went red. His ears were burning.

"Should I put my shirt back on?" she asked.

He nodded fervently. "Please," he croaked.

"How about that tea, then?" Hinata asked when she had her top back on.

He took a deep breath and walked to the kitchen. He came back later with two cups of tea.

From then on, Naruto had insisted that exploration indoors had to be done strictly with clothes on.

* * *

Hinata was discovering that she had a devil inside her when it came to Naruto. She didn't know what it was that made her want to test out outrageous things, to let go of her shyness as she experimented with shocking him. It was probably because she was answering the same call that lurked within him. He was just as bad when it came to kissing her and touching her. He was constantly surprising her whenever he reached out to plant a kiss on her mouth or anywhere else on her body.

But mostly, though, it was joy overflowing out of her, this need to touch and kiss him. She'd waited for years to feel him, to kiss him. Hell, even just to look and speak to him without falling apart. She'd worked hard to kill her shyness and apprehension and was happy to see that he responded just as freely to her touch.

She blossomed under the warmth of his unconditional love, feeling free as they both discovered each other, physically and also emotionally as the things that made them tick came out in the open. It was a different kind of confidence, to know that his love for her would never waver as he encouraged her to become bolder.

She missed him every time she left for her missions, but she always looked forward to her homecoming.

On one of these longer missions, she came home to find Naruto waiting for her at the gates, his hands in his pockets but his lovable grin always there to welcome her home.

She ran to him and he was ready with his hug. But Hinata wanted more so she jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist as she planted her lips over his. Her hands cupped his jaw with pressure, forcing him to open his mouth wider. He gasped and she tasted him on her lips and on her tongue. Whatever he'd just eaten was sweet.

Hinata didn't care that they were outside. She'd been away for so long. She missed him and she wanted him to know it.

"Yo, get a room! Can you guys not wait to go home before you start sucking face?!" Kiba said with disgust. "Hinata, _seriously_. I know it's _you_ who's egging him on."

She laughed. "Sorry, Kiba!"

Akamaru gave a howl and a "Woof!" that sounded like a scold.

She chuckled and grinned at the dog. "Sorry, Akamaru!"

"Hinata," Shino said, a reprimand in his normally cool tone. "This is embarrassing. Why? Because it's awkward for your teammates to see you kissing Naruto."

She laughed again. "Sorry, Shino!"

"But guys, I'm back home in Konoha. I'm just so _happy_!" she said as Naruto continued holding her and she sighed into his neck.

The three men shared a look over her head. She missed the silent exchange between them as the boys of Team Eight passed their responsibility on to Naruto.

_Be good to her, or you're dead._

Naruto's grin was tinted red, but he nodded, completely understanding.

Hinata sighed again then lifted her face off his shoulder. She met Naruto's eyes in his adorably embarrassed face and couldn't resist pressing her lips against his again. He closed his eyes and breathed out. His hands tightened on her butt.

"Ugh!" Kiba said in a revolted tone as he turned around. Her teammates muttered their good-byes and quickly left the couple kissing on the street.

"Welcome home," Naruto said with a dazed look when she finally broke the kiss and jumped down from his arms.

* * *

Two weeks later, they were in his living room again, on the sofa. Hinata sat across his lap facing him, a knee each pressed against his hips. Her lips were slowly skimming down the side of his neck, his head was thrown back, leaning against the wall. His eyes were squeezed shut. Naruto kept his hands loose on her butt even though he wanted to press her closer to his body.

Recently, she'd been initiating the touching, and he wasn't going to question his luck.

But his breath came out in a sudden hiss as Hinata leaned into his chest and pressed hers against his. She was fully clothed, but he could feel her bra scraping against his shirt. The heat of her breasts was warming his skin. Her hands were under his shirt, busily roaming across his back.

"Hinata, I have to take you home," he said with a low groan even as his body felt lethargic. He didn't want to move, but he opened his eyes and glanced at the clock.

"Mmm," she only said. Her soft lips were now brushing against his ear, now pressing against his right sideburn. She breathed against his skin, at the short tendrils of hair next to his ear and kissed him there. Her hands were running up his arms and exploring his shoulders.

"I love this spot right here," she murmured against his sideburn as she let his hair tickle her lips. "It's so soft."

 _Oh, god._ It never failed to turn him on when she said things like that.

He glanced at the clock again. He had to take her home, but she showed no signs of stopping as she moved her mouth to his other sideburn.

Meanwhile, Naruto's mind and body were screaming.

 _I am shinobi_ , he thought desperately _._ He thought back to the first time she'd been to his apartment and the disaster then. He'd gotten a little bit better at controlling himself. It gave him confidence that maybe he could handle the more intense caresses she was giving him the bolder she got. They were steadily progressing in their relationship and someday, _it_ might happen, when she was finally ready.

_Shinobi. I can do this. I can bear this._

She bit his earlobe and he tensed.

 _Damn_. _Shinobi, remember!_

Her hands moved to his abdomen, still under his shirt, trailing her fingers slowly, further down...

_Shinobi! Shinobi … God, I have to endure!_

"Hinata, please," he said, "we have to stop."

He didn't really know what he was saying. He was pleading for her to stop—but really, all he wanted was for her to continue.

She suddenly leaned back on his lap, taking the pressure of her luscious breasts off his chest but the movement pressed her buttocks more firmly into his thighs, making him squirm. She looked at him with a puzzled look in her eyes.

"I have to take you home," he squeaked. He was flushed. " _Now_."

His body was on fire. It was going to be another cold shower tonight when she left.

But she was looking at him with suspicion, not lust.

"Naruto, I feel like we've barely seen each other today."

He gulped. "Sorry, Hinata. I was a bit busy today so I didn't have time to pick you up earlier."

"You said that the last three times we went out, too. I feel like you don't want to spend time with me?"

Her eyes were peering into his, trying to read his mind. He could tell she was trying to gauge his blood flow with her byakugan even though she hadn't turned it on.

"No, that's not it!"

 _Be strong, Naruto,_ his mind screamed. _Don't fall for her trick._

But her gaze was relentless. There was a slight narrowing of her eyes.

Then she played dirty. She became nice.

Her gentle nature came into force as her eyes softened, and concern puckered her brow. She bit her lower lip, and he could see in her eyes that something was clicking into place in her mind.

Her index fingers came up to that triangle, nervously tapping against each other.

Yup, he was dead.

In a small, tiny voice tinged with guilt, she asked, "If that's not it, then it's because all this touching is getting too heavy to deal with, isn't it? You're meeting with me later and later during the day so that we go on a date then you take me home straight away, right?"

 _Shit_. She'd found him out.

His face was red, but he could only nod because he couldn't deny it.

In a defeated voice, she said, "I thought so. Naruto, I'm _so_ sorry. This is all my fault. I asked you to wait and you've been very understanding. Okay, I'll stop. It's just not fair to you."

She was about to get off his lap, but he gripped her legs.

"No!"

He tightened his arms around her, and she gasped, but she looked at him. Naruto laid both hands on her cheeks and said with all the strength he could muster, "I don't want you to stop touching me, Hinata. That's even worse. None of this is your fault. If you're not ready, you're not ready."

She sighed and hugged him again, hiding her face into his collarbone as she laid her forehead on his shoulder. "I love you. You're so kind."

She raised her head and looked into his eyes. "I just need time to get used to the idea? Of having se-sex with you!" she blurted quickly before she broke contact when his eyes blazed at her and became too intense for her at the mention of the word. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder again, hiding her face.

He smiled into her hair. "I love you, too. Hinata. It's fine. I'll _wait_."

Even if it killed him. She'd waited for him all these years. The least he could do was wait for...months…hopefully, weeks...He swallowed. He just really hoped he wouldn't have to wait for _years_ like she did.

Naruto hugged her, trying to reassure her, and looked at the clock. "I still have to take you home, though. It's getting late. I don't want to worry your family."

"Okay, but just one more kiss?" she asked.

He grinned at her. "Sure."

He grabbed her still fingers and kissed them, then he guided her hand to his back, under his shirt. "A _quick_ kiss."

Hinata laughed.

* * *

She walked to her bedroom that night with a heavy heart, hating that she was causing Naruto so much discomfort. It was unreasonable of her to ask him to wait for so long. They were months into their relationship and she felt horrible that she'd asked him to be patient even as _she'd_ been the one shamelessly caressing and kissing him.

Hinata flushed. The desire was there, but she just needed to get over her shyness when it came to losing her virginity. She wished there was a way to get over that hurdle.

She'd been so ready to give up her life when she'd jumped in to try to save him from Pain, but why was she hesitating when it came to sex? It was only natural, and she even wanted it. Her curiosity increased every time she discovered a part of his body that fascinated her. But the physical act made her feel scared.

Hinata closed her eyes and listened to her heart. She realized that she feared the unknown, the intimacy of baring her innermost self to his eyes. She just didn't know how he, but mostly how _she_ , would react in the situation, when they would be touching each other with nothing on...

She sighed into her pillow, wishing she could just tell Naruto straight to his face that she wanted him to make love to her already.


	24. Naruto, Please?

**Chapter 24: Naruto, Please?**

Naruto strolled up to them just as Team Eight walked through the Aum gates of Konoha. She ran to him and he instantly knew something was wrong. Normally she would've launched herself at him, but she only stood in front of him with her head bowed. Hinata had a bandage on her right arm, there were scorch marks on the back of her uniform. Parts of her lovely hair were singed. His heart started beating a worried rhythm. He looked at Shino.

"Take her home, Naruto," he said. "Why? Because she needs you."

Naruto looked at Kiba, normally so brash and outgoing, but his face was pale today. Kiba looked shaken, at a loss for words as he tried to explain to Naruto what happened.

"She almost di—" Kiba said but broke off when Naruto paled. Instead, he continued, "She's not badly hurt, but it was bad."

And Naruto held on to his control as he gathered her into her arms, gripping her tightly even as Kiba's words echoed in his brain.

"Take me home, please," she said quietly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He looked at Shino and Kiba, his eyes full of gratitude. They nodded back at him.

"Okay, Hinata," he said gently. "But we're stopping by to see Sakura first."

"Thank you," she said in a tiny voice.

He found her quickly at the hospital, activating his sage mode. Sakura was about to protest him rudely interrupting, but took one look at his face and Hinata in his arms, more quiet than usual, and stopped. She pointed to a seat and Naruto sat Hinata on it.

"What happened?" Sakura asked as she looked at the burn marks on Hinata's uniform.

She told them.

Team Eight had been on a mission to deactivate some explosive seals at a nearby village. A terrorist had planted several scroll bombs in various buildings, but he'd been apprehended. The bombs just needed to be found and cleared away. Hinata's byakugan, Shino's bugs, and Kiba's keen sense of smell had been perfect for the work required to do. They'd been smoothly going through each one they'd found when a child had suddenly wandered into the area they'd been working in.

The little girl had run away from her mother and had been curious to see Akamaru working alongside Kiba. She'd run headlong into danger.

Hinata had sensed her presence first, and she'd also been the closest to the little girl. Without thought, she'd sprinted as fast as she could and launched herself at the child, trying to prevent her from accidentally setting off any of the bombs and causing them to explode. Too late, though, as Hinata had barely been able to grab the child and tossed her into Kiba's waiting arms when the scroll burst into flames as it detonated.

The blast had propelled Hinata head-first towards the face of the hard mountain rock. She'd been ready to protect herself by using her Gentle Fist jutsu to counter her trajectory, using the opposite burst from the mountain to lessen the impact. Luckily, Shino's insects had also been there to cushion her. But Hinata had still felt the pressure of the hot gust of wind on her back as the air exploded around them.

Sakura nodded, smiled in sympathy, then told Hinata to strip off her top. She turned around to show her back to the medic.

When she did, Naruto's breath came out in a gasp. "Hinata…"

Her back was an angry shade of crimson and there was a slight purple bruise forming right below her left shoulder blade where debris had struck.

"It's fine Naruto," Hinata glanced at him, smiled briefly then said quietly, "It doesn't hurt actually. Lucky my uniform took the brunt of it."

But he only looked at her, his face still frozen in dismay.

Sakura examined her gently, running her fingers over Hinata's body to check for any signs of internal or head injuries.

She breathed a sigh of relief when there was none. She smiled at both of them. "Nothing to worry about, Hinata. Just some bruising. Your back's red but it's not really burned. I can give you some medicine for it. I'm just glad you're okay, Hinata."

She turned to Naruto. "Take her home, Naruto."

"Sakura, can you send a message to my family?" Hinata asked.

A look of understanding passed between the two. "Yeah, Hinata. I'll do that for you."

"Thanks, Sakura. I owe you one."

Sakura smiled at her.

* * *

They left the hospital, and Naruto was about to head into the direction of her home, but she stopped him.

"Naruto, your place is closer. Can I just rest there for a little bit before I go home?"

He hugged her. "Of course."

He carried her in his arms, clutching her to him, trying to keep her as warm as he could, but trying to be gentle to avoid hurting her back any further. She was more subdued than normal, and it made Naruto worried. They finally got to his apartment and she finally smiled at him when they were inside.

She kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks. I'm just going to take a shower?"

"Anything."

She took off her boots and slowly walked towards the bathroom, but she paused when Naruto asked, "Hinata, are you okay?"

She flashed him another brief smile. "Yes."

He looked her in the eyes. She seemed calm and not as shell-shocked as before, so he nodded. "I'll be here."

She stepped out of the shower when she was done and changed into her favorite of his shirts. He was waiting for her with a towel in his hand.

She walked towards him and wrapped her arms around him. She sighed into his chest, murmuring, "I feel a bit better now."

"Okay," he said as he led her to the living room. They sat on the floor, cross-legged and facing each other. He toweled her hair dry as best as he could then combed his fingers through her long hair. When he was finished, she scrambled into his lap and leaned her head onto his shoulder, her hand reaching to touch his cheek.

"Thanks for the shower. I think I'm just feeling shock right now, but don't worry about me, okay?" she said, the normal, cheerful lights flickering back in her eyes.

He sighed and squeezed her. "I'll try."

"I just feel really drained right now," she said as her eyes drifted close.

"Go ahead and sleep. I won't let go."

"Okay," she murmured.

He watched her until her breathing was deeper and he continued to hold her, marveling at how normal he was acting when all he wanted to do was pull out his hair and scream with the frustration of it all. He hadn't been with her when she got hurt. He couldn't stop himself from shaking.

When he'd seen the look on Kiba's face as he'd said, "It was bad," Naruto had almost blacked out. He was pretty sure Kiba had meant to say Hinata had almost died today but had changed his mind. Naruto was grateful Kiba had refrained from saying the words out loud.

Hinata sighed in her sleep.

Still, Naruto's stomach was in knots as he watched her lashes flutter against her cheeks. He was so sick with worry, he didn't know what to do.

He leaned his head back against the arm of his sofa, closed his eyes, and gave a deep sigh. He was feeling drained, too, discovering how much of his happiness depended on having Hinata in his life. He hated seeing her so grave and not her normally calm and sunny self. But he was glad she was in his arms now, safe and alive.

He didn't think he'd be able to sleep, but he did.

When she woke up, she put her hand on his cheek. "Naruto, wake up."

He opened his eyes and put his on the hand that was laying over his cheek and smiled at her.

"Hinata, how do you feel?"

"I'm good," she said. "Naruto, I want you to make love to me."

He blinked rapidly and shook his head, but his heart started pounding. He must have heard her wrong.

"What?!" he whispered.

"I want you to make love to me," she said, more firmly this time as she held on to his cheeks with both hands and forced him to meet her eyes.

He shook his head, shocked to his core. This wasn't the time. She'd just had a brush with death. "Hinata, I told you I'll wait. I'm not going to go back on my word. I'll wait even if it takes forever. You just went through a scare. I don't think this is the time to be thinking about sex."

She laughed. "I can't believe you're turning down _sex_ , Naruto!"

But her face became serious. "Actually, this is exactly the time to be thinking about it, Naruto." She looked at him, her eyes full of resolve. "You know what my last thought was before Shino saved me? I was thinking I didn't want to die without knowing how it felt to be finally yours, how we'd feel together."

He felt his heart drop. _How we'd feel together_. He swallowed. "Hinata…I..."

"You don't want to?" came her whispered question, and a deep red flush was now climbing up her neck, her cheeks.

He looked at her aghast. "With every fiber of my being, I do! Hinata, I want you so much, I _hurt_ with it! But we can wait when the timing's better, don't you think?" He looked at the clock. "I should probably take you home. Your family's probably worried about you."

She shook her head. "I asked Sakura to send a message home. It's only my father, so he knows I'm here with you. Hanabi's out on a mission with Anko-sensei. She won't be back for a couple of days. Can I stay with you tonight?"

His heart was pounding. Things were quickly spiraling out of control, but he nodded, feeling happy and anxious at the same time.

"Okay," Naruto said. "But you should really rest, Hinata."

Hinata was silent for a long moment, looking at him, and he felt himself losing his breath as her lavender eyes pierced him. Naruto wanted so much to make love to her, he was shaking, he realized, as he glanced at his hands.

_How we'd feel together..._

He shook his head. She didn't realize what she was saying, she was probably still feeling shock from the explosion at work.

He tried to smile. "Hinata, we should—"

She stopped him with a kiss, as she sat up in his lap, straddled him, grabbed his jaw and assaulted his senses with her mouth, opening his lips as her tongue slipped into his mouth, surprising him and making him grip her, splaying his hands over her back.

She broke the kiss and looked again at his face. She was red in the face, but her eyes were pleading.

"Naruto, please?" she asked. There was fear in her voice.

Fear of rejection, as he finally heard it clearly.

 _Oh, god._ He was being a dumbass.

Naruto reached out to cup her jaw, watching as her eyes closed at his touch.

"Yes," he finally breathed against her mouth and the tension left her as _he_ kissed _her_ this time.

He really was an idiot. Hinata shouldn't be the one asking, begging him. Here she was offering herself up to him, but he was being a dumbass, turning down her gift. This was no time to be chivalrous. She needed to be loved.

"I love you," he said, but he'd meant to say _I'm sorry for making you feel rejected._

But he was suddenly hit with uncertainty. He sighed against her temple, hugging her, hating to disappoint her, but he wanted to be honest.

"Hinata, it's my first time, so I don't know if it will be good for you. Don't expect too much."

Her hands tightened around his shoulders as she drew back and looked into his eyes. "Naruto, it's with _you_ , so that's all that matters. Just you and me."

He felt her words squeeze his heart, but he groaned. "So much _pressure_!"

Naruto eventually smiled, hoping to relax her and to ease his own anxiety about the situation. "You know, I've been thinking about the whole thing all this time?"

Her answering smile was wry. "I bet."

He chuckled as he took a strand of her hair and twirled it through his fingers. "Well, we're both ninja and we've been training, using our bodies since we were young, so I figured we can approach this as practice."

"Naruto!" she gasped with a surprised laugh. "That is the most unromantic thing I've ever heard describing it, but it works."

His smile was tinged with relief, but she was looking at him with so much adoration, her eyes darkening with desire...? he thought, as her hands continued to touch his heated skin.

Her voice was husky when she suggested, "How about we just start with a kiss then? We've got that part down, right?"

He grinned, finally unleashing all the craving in his body at her words. "Okay."

Then his mouth was on hers, forever nibbling at her lower lip, opening her mouth with the gentle licking of his tongue.

She met his seeking mouth and opened hers wider. He gasped, and the hand on her neck slid down to her breasts to gently cup and knead through the t-shirt. He was gentle, exploring every curve, lifting, caressing.

His hands moved to her shoulders and arms, feeling her, warming her skin, while Hinata's hands threaded through his hair and held on to the back of his head. Then he was brushing his lips on her cheeks again, her eyes, her temples.

"Let's go to the bedroom," he said as he lifted her and carried her to the bed.

He stripped off his shirt and took hers off, too. He kept his boxers on just to set her at ease. She wore no bra underneath his t-shirt. She sat on the mattress in just her panties, flushing, but content to look at him as he paused to gaze at her.

They were finally going to do it.

"Let me just look at you," he said, his gaze roving over every part of her, drinking in her beauty. Then he sighed. "Hinata, it hurts just to look at you. You're glorious. You're everything a woman ought to look, strong and soft."

Hinata laughed softly and shook her head. "I'm not. Naruto, _you're_ beautiful." She ran her hands over his arms then his chest. "To touch, to look at."

"Gah!" Naruto said with frustration as he pounced and hugged her again. "Stop being so freaking cute!"

She gasped when his arms wrapped around her, and he realized with a guilty start that he'd forgotten the injury on her back.

"I'm sorry," he said as he dropped his arms. "Are you okay? Did I hurt your back?"

"I'm fine, Naruto. I don't even feel it. Just keep on holding me."

* * *

Hinata had gasped because her nipples had scraped against his chest and the sensation had been achingly wonderful. She wanted to do it again, and she'd been surprised at herself, finally discovering that shyness had no place in the bedroom when she was a woman being loved.

As she looked at his eager face, flush with desire and longing, she realized now how stupid she'd been to make the both of them wait. But she was grateful that things were clear now. She wanted this, wanted this intimacy in their relationship. The only way was forward. There was no going back.

"Okay," Naruto said. He reached for her again and he pressed her to his chest. He closed his eyes at the touch of their skin.

She closed her eyes, too, her skin so sensitive to the feel of him. He was hot, giving off so much heat, she wondered how they were both not incinerated by it.

She leaned back as he felt him lay her down on the bed. His hands drifted over her body, caressing gently, making her feel so lethargic and drugged. His lips were burning a path down the column of her throat, slowly laving, until he cupped her breasts and brought her nipples to his mouth and suckled gently, sending heat to the pit of her stomach, making her cry out and tighten her hands in his hair.

Then his hands were on her stomach, and then slowly tugging her panties down her legs.

Hinata felt heated and restless. The weeks of heavy petting had made her so eager, she knew she was embarrassingly wet. She could feel his fingers touching her at her core, one finger slipped inside, making her moan out loud. She bit her lip as he went deeper. She was drowning in sensation, felt the warmth of his body against her skin even as his hands spread her legs, opened her more, his finger stretching her, burned her even as dampness gathered between her legs.

"Let me know if there's anything you don't like, okay?" he said with concern as he saw the expression on her face.

Her eyes flew open and Hinata frowned, misunderstanding, her mind so foggy with lust. "Naruto, don't stop now!"

He froze, taken aback, then he blinked and went even redder. "Oh, god," he said with feeling, then he leaned closer and kissed her on the lips again, laughing. "When you say that, I don't think I _can_ stop."

She nodded then her breath left her in a soft cry as she pressed her head against the pillow when a second finger entered her. She turned her head to the side and gripped the sheets when they began a steady rhythm.

She was unable to keep her eyes open. Hinata was overwhelmed. Everything around her was amplified, the fresh smell of his soap on his skin, the heat of him, their heavy breathing in his bedroom, the cool sheets at her back, the friction of his bandaged arm supporting her at her shoulders, his tongue busy at her breast, suckling, gently biting a nipple, his fingers in her, bringing her close.

"Naruto!" she finally cried out softly as she felt herself coming apart, shattering as pleasure burst in her. She needed to feel him, so she reached up and hugged him, clung to him, clutching at his shoulders, her hands in his hair, eyes squeezed shut because everything felt too much.

* * *

Naruto felt her arms tighten around him as her body tensed, his heart quickly beat against her chest. It looked like he was doing it right, he thought with relief. If the sexy sounds she was making were any indication, then he was doing okay. She looked beautiful as he watched her.

And he added another item to his 'Hinata favorite list': Her gasping his name in pleasure.

She came back to him with a sigh and plopped back onto the bed. She finally opened her eyes when his fingers stilled.

"Hinata?" he asked, his voice was husky as he looked into her drowsy eyes. "Can I put the condom on?"

She blinked at him and quickly sat up.

"Let me do it."

He nearly lost it when he heard her words. This was going to be torture, but she looked eager and Naruto realized she just wanted to please him.

 _Ugh_ , he really _was_ weak, he thought as he silently reached for the box in the bedside drawer by his bed. He handed it to her. She opened the box and drew out a packet.

He shucked his underwear then Naruto sat on the bed, not bothering to hide his erection. He didn't think he could hide it, he was so aroused beyond anything he'd ever experienced. He had a death grip on the sheets even as he desperately held on to his control, his body on fire, seeking release. But he could only watch her mutely as she made him wait.

Hinata was completely red, from her face to her legs, but she had a studious look on her face as she browsed through the instructions on the paper she held. She nodded to herself as she looked at his face, quickly at his rampant erection, and finally at the condom packet lying on the sheets.

She turned her attention to the paper again. Finally, she looked at him and said, "Okay, I got it."

But she bit her lip as her eyes flicked to his erection then back again to his eyes. She took a deep breath and asked with uncertainty, "Should I …?"

Naruto's mind blanked. _Oh, god._ Just imagining her lips on him would kill him and render him useless.

"No!" he managed to bite out and he had to chuckle at the relief on her face. "Next time?" he asked hopefully.

She nodded. "Okay."

Hinata then ripped open the packet and drew out the condom. She smiled at him and Naruto gripped the sheets even tighter until his knuckles turned white.

It was a slow erotic slide as she rolled the condom on, caressing him as gently as she could.

Even as he died from the pleasure of it, there was still a part of his mind that felt proud he didn't lose it like he did the first time they'd explored each other.

Naruto drew out his breath slowly when she was done. He laid her back on the bed and started kissing her again, starting with her mouth and then her neck, then down to her shoulders, her breasts.

Her hands were on his hair and she was sighing his name.

He brought his fingers back to her and was relieved to find the slickness in her warmth. He brought his lips back to her temple.

"Hinata," he whispered achingly against her ear as he settled between her legs. He hated that he would cause her pain. She looked at him and nodded. He entered slowly but stopped when he felt her tense. He leaned down to kiss her on the mouth, hoping to relax her. It did, as she sighed his name in her breathy voice and he entered her slowly, feeling her clenching sensuously around him.

When he was all the way in, he heard her gasp.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," he said, brushing a kiss on the tears that had pooled in her eyes.

She shook her head, smiling that luminous smile she always had for him.

"It's not the pain. I'm _fine_ , Naruto. It doesn't hurt at all. I just feel stretched," she said as she looked up into his eyes, touching his cheeks. "I'm just happy I'm finally yours."

Hinata stroked his cheek with her fingers and smiled at him. "It's okay. This is what I wanted. It's just this one time, right?" And then she hugged him, wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling against his neck.

Naruto felt his heart twist. He wanted to cry. He was the one that had caused her pain and here she was trying to make _him_ feel better.

"God, Hinata, I love you," he whispered. He thanked the gods for this beautiful woman who'd gifted him with not only her heart but her body.

"Naruto," she whispered his name against his neck. Then licked and nipped at his skin, making him stiffen in surprise. Her hand went to his butt to press him deeper into her, clearly urging him to move.

Naruto breathed into her shoulder, trying to get control of himself. He wanted to move, but she needed time to adjust. Already, she was squeezing him, her body pulling him in. She was hot and slick, her inner muscles lovingly gripped him, and it was all he could to hang on to his sanity.

He flexed his hips and heard her gasp. He did it a second time and he felt her lifting her hips to meet his thrust and the low moan from her throat almost undid him. He wanted to do it slowly, knowing it was their first time, but their weeks of exploration had taken its toll, making him impatient to finish. His body moved on its own, and Naruto increased the pace, instinct guiding him. And then he was lost as he shuddered and groaned her name.

He lay on her for a while and gloried in the feeling of her legs and arms wrapped around him. Eventually, he pulled out of her and moved to his side so he wouldn't crush her, his arm pillowing her head. She turned to him, eyes smiling and sated.

"Thank you," she said.

He sighed. "Stop it. _I_ should be thanking _you_."

She shook her head, and her hair tickled his chest. "Thank you, Naruto."

Naruto laughed and kissed her on the lips. "Just remember, _you're_ the one who asked."

"I did," she said. Then her voice full of surprise, but also pride for herself, she repeated, "I did!"

She chuckled. "I'm glad."

"Hinata, are you okay, though? How's your back?" Naruto asked as he shifted to his side to fully look at her.

He knew it was ridiculous, considering they'd just done what they did, but he blushed as he said, "Are you sore anywhere else?"

She shook her head again and sighed. "I feel _wonderful_."

He felt his heart twist, and satisfaction ran through his entire body.

"Hinata," he groaned, fell onto his back, and slapped a hand over his eyes. "Stop saying things like that!"

"I can't help it!" she protested. "I love you and being with you is an amazing feeling. It just slips out of me."

"Argh!" he yelled before he plastered his mouth against her lips.

"Okay, okay," she said, laughing as she pushed at his chest so she could breathe.

He smiled at her as she fought a yawn. She needed to rest. So Naruto gathered up the blankets and wrapped them around her, carefully laid a hand on her back, and pulled her closer to him.

They lay there in silence, waiting for sleep to come.

Hinata breathed in his scent as she continued skimming her hands on his chest.

Before she drifted off to sleep, Naruto wanted her answer to a question that had him burning with curiosity.

"Hinata, do you always read instruction manuals?" he asked her when the movements of her hands slowed.

"Doesn't everyone?" she asked sleepily. She yawned then, her eyes already closing as sleep claimed her.

He chuckled softly and grinned into her hair.

No, not everyone. And not for _condoms_.


	25. Implications

**Chapter 25: Implications**

Hinata woke up at dawn the next morning, leaned over and kissed him shyly on his lips. His eyes were closed, but he sighed against her mouth and pulled her closer to him. She could feel his excitement against her thigh.

"Hinata," he murmured sleepily as his hands started skimming over her body. "You're so lewd... Not at the Ninja _Academy_!"

Her shocked gasp penetrated through the wet dream he was having, causing Naruto to suddenly open his eyes and meet her horrified and amused face.

"Naruto, just now, what kind of dream were you having?" she asked with a laugh.

"Nothing!" His answering smile was sheepish. "Forget it!"

She laughed again and hugged him. He looked at her. "Are you feeling okay?"

Hinata nodded and looked at his suddenly eager face. "Again?"

He chuckled. His mouth was already moving down her collarbone. "You know it! We need to practice."

* * *

Naruto woke up and breathed in her scent a few hours later. The scent of apples and cinnamon filled his lungs. She was still sleeping, her back was to him and his eyes fell on the purple bruise marring the perfection of her skin. The rest of her back wasn't as red as before, but it still looked pink. His heart ached, hating the thought of her being hurt. He skimmed a gentle palm over her back. She took a deep breath but didn't wake.

_I love you,_ he thought, kissing her shoulder. Even more now, as he finally knew what it was like to worship a woman with his body. She'd been so sweet and wonderfully responsive to everything.

He looked out at the window. It was midmorning. He should get up, but today he was off duty. So was Hinata. There was no need to leave the bed. He was content to just sleep next to her. But he should probably take her home. Her family was probably worried.

He felt her waking as she stretched then turned around to smile at him.

"Good morning, Naruto," she said.

"Hinata," he said as he took in her sleepy, tousled face. She looked like a well-loved woman and he smiled with satisfaction. He could get used to waking up like this all the time. He leaned in to kiss her on the mouth, but her stomach gurgled, making both of them laugh.

"Okay, let's have breakfast. I don't think we had dinner yesterday, either," she said. They both got up and Hinata made breakfast from the few ingredients she could find in his kitchen.

They spent the day together, with Hinata resting and Naruto fussing all over her, unable to sit still. He was not only sated but also excited to have her all to himself for such a long time. She'd sent another message to her father reassuring him she was fine. He'd responded by telling her to be home the following day.

They had a late lunch at Ichiraku but a few hours later, Hinata said, "I'm hungry."

He grinned at her. "I've only got instant ramen in the cupboards."

She shook her head as a flush started creeping up her neck. "Not for food."

Her startled squeak echoed through the living room when he suddenly picked her up in his arms and carried her, almost sprinting, to the bedroom.

* * *

His mouth wouldn't leave hers but he eventually settled her in the middle of the bed, and Hinata ran her palms over his arms and chest, enjoying the feel of his warm skin. She was already naked, but she took off his shirt, slowly undressing him until he sat only with his boxers. As she did, she bent to kiss him on his shoulders, his chest, but she stopped because she wanted to do more.

Now that they'd crossed the hurdle of breaching their virginity, Hinata was torn with curiosity.

"Naruto," she whispered as she looked into his eyes.

_Oh, god_ , Naruto thought as he saw the intent in her lavender gaze.

Wait, was she…?

He swallowed as he remembered that Hinata liked to explore with her mouth.

He nodded and knew he was in deep trouble when he saw the smile on her face. It was seductive and sultry, and she didn't even know it, which made everything more arousing.

She rose up and pushed him down to the bed. She helped him take off his underwear. Her voice was teasing when she said, "Let me know if there's anything you don't like, okay?"

His exact same words to her last night.

Despite the effort it cost him, he laughed. "Hinata, if it's you, there's nothing that I don't like."

She chuckled softly then bent down to kiss him at the tip, taking her time to explore. Little licks first, then she gradually parted her lips wider to take him into her mouth, which made him almost leap off the bed. Instead, he exhaled the breath he was holding, leaned up on his elbows, and watched her move sensuously up and down the length of him. Her hair fanned around her, tickling his thighs and abdomen. Her hands were gently caressing, learning the shape of him. With each slide of her playful mouth, he felt himself dying from the pleasure of it. He had to remind himself to breathe.

She flicked her tongue and sucked a little too vigorously, and Naruto realized that fighting to not lose control around her was permanent. It was something he was going to have to learn to live with. He flopped back to the bed as his breath came out in desperate gasps. Her mouth was hot, wet, excruciatingly erotic when she scraped him with her tongue. Hinata wasn't stopping. She'd found a rhythm. He didn't want her to stop, but he was desperate for release.

"Hinata," he groaned. He suddenly wanted to be inside of her.

Naruto clutched at her shoulders then gently, but firmly, cupped his hands around her head to lift her mouth off him. Then he grabbed her and flipped her over unto the bed, leaving her bewildered and looking at him like he was crazy. He spread her, reached between her legs, found her wet and ready.

His relief was only for a moment. He frantically stretched his hand out for the packets on his nightstand, fumbled to put the condom on, gripped her legs tightly, and slipped unerringly into her warmth. Hinata gasped as he started stroking within her, crying out with surprised pleasure.

He heard her gasp his name, felt her tense and clench around him, and knew she'd hit her climax. Naruto gripped her butt, and with one last, desperate push into her, shuddered and spent himself.

Her fingers went to his hair, gently running through the strands. He looked up into her sated face and the smile of satisfaction on her lips.

_Oh, no,_ he thought with mingled resignation and excitement.

"Okay, Hinata," he said when he could finally breathe. "For a first-timer, you're _way_ too good at this. _I'm_ going to need a _lot_ of practice."

Hinata laughed, a pleased expression on her face, and kissed him on the mouth.

* * *

Naruto woke up the next morning earlier than he'd wanted to, but he'd felt the other person's consciousness intruding into his. They were going to be here in a few minutes. He glanced down at Hinata sleeping in his arms. He pressed a kiss on her temple, but she remained asleep. He brushed at the hair covering her eyes, then left the bed, feeling loathe to do so, but there was this other important business to take care of.

He quickly got dressed and waited for the other person on the other side of his door to knock.

It came a few seconds later just as he reached the entranceway, a couple quiet taps on his door.

He opened it and said, "Hanabi, come in."

Hanabi stood before him, her face pale. "Is she all right?" she whispered. "I just got back and saw the message from Sakura telling us not to worry, but I just wanted to make sure she's okay because she wasn't home when I got to the house."

"Come in, Hanabi," he said again. Naruto smiled to reassure her. "She's fine. She's just sleeping right now. We can wait for her to wake up."

She looked at his face and nodded. "I'm sorry for barging in on you like this."

He shook his head. "You're not barging in. I was expecting you."

They sat in his tiny apartment, facing each other across his even tinier table.

She sat drinking her tea, glancing about his place, noting the sparseness of everything. He didn't really own any stuff. She frowned at him. "This place is so small."

He laughed. "Sorry, but it's all I can afford. It was meant for just me."

She flushed, embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

He smiled at her. "It's okay."

She took another sip of her tea, then set the cup down. She wrapped both hands around it and started tapping her fingers against the side, eyes intense as she stared at her tea, seeming to be doing an internal battle within her.

After a moment, her expression eased and she finally looked up to meet his gaze. She was doing her best not to cry, the sheen of tears already there, but she was trying to keep it from spilling over by blinking.

"Just treat her right," she said, her voice fierce. "If you don't, I will _hurt_ you. I don't care if you're some great hero or the future Hokage, but if you make her sad, I'll make you pay."

Naruto nodded, hearing the sorrow in her voice more than the threat of her words. She tried to keep her cool, but her lavender eyes were imploring. She sighed deeply, and her voice came out a little broken. "If you can spare her, will you let her come home to visit us once in a while?"

He looked at her and was suddenly reminded of an angry kitten. She was trying her hardest to cling to her pride, but her love for her older sister had won out. Hinata hadn't gone home to the Hyuuga house for a couple of days, and Hanabi was astute enough to understand the implications of that for her own future.

He patted the space next to him. She glared at him, but he waited. After a moment, she went reluctantly to his side. Naruto patted her gently on the head. The tears spilled over at his gesture. She sniffed angrily and swatted at her eyes. He placed an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her lightly.

She only sighed, but the tears kept falling.

He looked at her. She was picking at the sleeves of her kimono now.

"Hanabi, you know she's not the type to abandon her family."

She finally looked at him and whispered, "But she loves _you_ so much!"

She was still resolutely hanging on to her dignity, but Naruto saw in her eyes that she was filled with despair for her herself. There was still also a trace of happiness for her sister. Hanabi was torn, wavering between joy and sadness. She turned her gaze back to her sleeves.

Naruto smiled at her bowed head. "She loves all of _us_. Hanabi, you of all people know how warm and generous she is. Hinata's got enough room in her heart for the whole world, don't you think?"

The hand on her kimono stilled.

"You've nothing to worry about from me. Hanabi, I wouldn't dream of keeping her away from her family."

She sniffled then finally nodded.

"And, if you guys don't mind, I'd like to join her when she comes to see you. I've only been to the bathhouse. You've yet to show me the other twenty-three rooms of the Hyuuga house, remember?"

"Naruto-niisama!" she said, snorting with surprised laughter and finally looking up into his face, finally abandoning her usual dignity.

"You can't promise me that and not show me, Hanabi," he chided gently.

She laughed, freely this time. "Okay, but you're going to owe me big time! It takes a lot of clever thinking to get around my father, you know."

Naruto chuckled. "On second thought, maybe not!"

"Don't worry, I'll just show you how you can try to disengage when your chakra points get hit. My dad may be old, but he's still got it."

He gasped. "Hanabi, you should tell me anyway! Just in case your sister decides to use her byakugan on me."

Her gaze on him was suddenly haughty. "You know, if Onee-sama decides to use it on you, that means you've done something _really_ dumb."

He pictured sweet, gentle Hinata and laughed. "True! I just hope she'll never have to use it on me."

Hanabi had her usual fierce expression on her face, but her lips were twitching with amusement. She looked more relaxed as she sat next to him. The heaviness in her mind seemed to have lifted.

Naruto gave her another squeeze and she squeezed him back. He felt his heart closing in as he added another person within its circle, making it more complete.

* * *

Hinata woke up groggily to laughter—her sister's laughter. Wait, in Naruto's apartment?

"Just you wait until she starts cooking. I hate to admit it, but she's an amazing cook, even better than me!"

Naruto murmured something Hinata couldn't hear, but Hanabi was giggling again.

Hinata's mind was trying to make sense of everything, until she clearly heard her sister's voice saying, "She gets weird sometimes, like she always closes her eyes when she takes a sip of a drink from a bottle."

And she sat up abruptly on the bed, scrambled to put on her clothes, and rushed into the living room before Hanabi could spill any more of her secrets.

"Hanabi!"

Hanabi and Naruto looked at her, both of them smiling. They were sitting across from each other, on the mat. In front of them, on his table, a cup of coffee was within his reach, while Hanabi had a hand around her cup of tea. He'd gone out and bought some breakfast from the nearby bakery.

"Onee-sama! Good morning! You're finally awake," her sister said with a happy expression on her face. Hanabi noted the tumbled look Hinata had and she grinned wider.

Naruto stood up to hug her, then he pulled back and peered into her eyes with a questioning look. Hinata's heart turned over but she smiled at him.

He answered her with his own then pressed a brief kiss on the lips. "Good morning, Hinata. I made coffee. You want some?"

Hanabi watched the exchange with a delighted expression on her face.

Hinata nodded. "Thank you."

He beamed at her then headed towards the kitchen.

She turned to her sister and asked, "Hanabi, what are you doing here? Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

Hanabi sighed. "Onee-sama! I came because of _you_! I saw the message from Sakura, but I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"Oh, Hanabi, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you worry." Hinata ran to her sister to give her a hug.

Hanabi squeezed her tight but gave an exasperated laugh. "Onee-sama! Of course we were worried about you, but why are you apologizing to me?"

"That message from Sakura was supposed to reassure everyone that I was safe, that I was with Naruto," she added with a blush.

"Actually, that's what made Father worry, not the part where you were injured," Hanabi said with a cheeky grin.

"Hanabi! He wouldn't say anything!" Hinata said with a squeak then a glare. "That's a lie!"

"It is!" her sister laughed unrepentantly as she casually took a bite of her croissant. "You're right. Father trusted that you were okay. I just came to see for myself that you're fine."

And upon hearing that, Hinata had no choice but to forgive her sister. Instead, she glanced interestedly at the croissant Hanabi was holding.

Hanabi smiled at her then picked one up and handed it to her older sister. Hinata bit into it gratefully. Naruto came back with her coffee and sat next to her on the mat. He kept a hand on her back, stroking up and down, and Hanabi nodded with approval.

"I like that!" she said with a grin. Naruto laughed and winked at her.

And Hinata found herself deeply worried for herself. Somehow, when she'd been asleep, the two of them had formed a bond. She needed to mentally prepare herself for more mischief in her life.

* * *

She walked home with Hanabi, who'd brought a change of clothes for her sister, in case she'd needed it.

"Onee-sama, you should move in with Naruto-niisama," Hanabi suddenly said.

Hinata laughed in response, startled to hear the words. "It's too soon in our relationship!"

Hanabi snorted and murmured something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like 'already having sex.' Hinata ignored it, but she turned red.

"You should still do it, though," her younger sister said.

Hinata thought about Hanabi's words as they walked home. She wanted to spend every minute of her day with Naruto, but she hated the thought of leaving her younger sister all by herself. She would miss the closeness, the nights when they would talk, the way Hanabi always teased her.

She was torn.

Hanabi suddenly poked her in the side. "Onee-sama! Don't frown so much! You're going to wrinkle your skin. You're going to lose the only asset you have if you ruin your beauty like that."

Hinata playfully smacked her sister on the booty. "Hanabi! Stop it. What was that you were saying?"

"I'm sorry, you're right. You don't _have_ any assets."

Hinata laughed. "One of these days, your smart mouth's going to get you in trouble, and I'm going to be the first one to gleefully rub it in your face."

"Hmph! We'll see about that," Hanabi said, a gleam in her eyes. But she looked at her sister with concern. "What's the problem, really?"

Hinata sighed. "If I move out, you're going to be by yourself."

"Onee-sama!" Hanabi yelled with exasperation. She was truly angry. "Stop being so goddamned selfless and worry about yourself for once! Nobody likes a constant martyr!"

Hinata frowned back at her.

Hanabi continued her diatribe, glaring at her, her hands on her waist. "You're so freaking _wishy-washy_! Don't you want to move in with him? What happened to your nindo? Aren't you all about not going back on your word? Whether you've realized it or not, you've already committed to Naruto-niisama!"

She gave her older sister a droll look. "What the hell have you guys been doing the last two days? Don't even tell me that's not a big step in your relationship!"

Hinata could only look at her sister in amazement. Hanabi was right. She was being stupid, waffling over a decision that didn't need any reflection. It was already a foregone conclusion. Look how she'd hesitated so much over the decision to have sex with Naruto, had lost them time to deepen their relationship. In the end, the accident at work had taken the choice out of her hands.

Yes, she decided, she wanted to move in with Naruto, to share his days and nights and discover more of the many facets that made him the man that he was. It was going to be _her_ choice.

Hanabi must have seen Hinata's resolve on her face because she sighed and said, " _I'm_ going to be fine, you know. Plus, there's no way I'm going to be alone in a compound _that_ big. The problem is there's just too many of us!"

Hinata chuckled.

Her younger sister continued with a devilish glint in her eyes. "You're so dense sometimes. If I were you, I'd have been with Naruto-niisama sooner, maybe even the day after he had dinner with us. Don't forget, I saw him almost naked, too!"

Hinata's screech of surprise made everyone turn to look at them. She flushed red. "Hanabi! Stop it already! I get it! Alright, I'm moving in with Naruto. Because I _want_ to."

Hanabi smirked. "Good."

"You know, Hanabi, if I move out, I just think you're going to be even wilder and more outrageous. Who's going to keep you in check when I'm not there?"

"In check!" Hanabi scoffed.

Hinata laughed. "Yeah, you're right! I meant who's going to worry about you."

This time Hanabi was serious. "Well, it's the same with me, Onee-sama. I worry about you, too, because I want you to be happy. Besides, I'm not going to suddenly disappear from your life. Don't worry, I'll still pester you."

Hinata suddenly stopped walking. Hanabi looked at her in surprise.

"This is why you're going to be an amazing clan leader, Hanabi. You always worry about _everyone's_ welfare."

Hinata grabbed her sister and gave her a big bear hug and a kiss on top of her head. There was a pang in her heart as she tried to brush at the hair that forever kept falling over Hanabi's eyes. Her younger sister had grown up so damned fast. Even now, she didn't need to lean down so low anymore to do this to her little sister.

"Hanabi, I love you. You're the best sister I can ever have. I hope you never change."

"You're so silly! I'm the _only_ sister you will ever have."

Hanabi returned her sister's hug, fighting her tears, and was proud when she didn't cry. She'd already cried her heart out in front of Naruto-niisama.

She accepted Hinata's hug, knew that at this moment, she was saying good-bye to her childhood. It was time to put away her youth and look forward to the future, just as her older sister was doing.

Her older sister, really the only mother figure she'd ever known in her life, was happy, and that was all that mattered to her. Hinata had found the man of her dreams and was going to build the life that she finally wanted to have. She'd made the choice to give herself to Naruto-niisama and Hanabi was going to support the two of them as much as she could. They both deserved to be so in love with each other.

Hinata moved in with Naruto a week later, but only after talking with her father, who'd taken the news well. He'd offered no protest, only suggested that she make the decision that would make both her and Naruto happy.

Though she would miss her older sister's constant presence in her life, Hanabi had genuinely been delighted with these developments. Of course, it was only offset by the fact that she'd frequently visited the happy couple at Naruto's apartment, interrupting them whenever she felt like it, and dropping by at the most inopportune moments. Most times she'd caught them when they were obviously in the middle of something and their hastily put on clothes always made her laugh with glee. Hanabi took great delight in pointing out when a shirt was inside-out or misbuttoned.

* * *

One day, Hinata went home to visit with her family. Naruto was away for a few days and she'd wanted to spend time with Hanabi. On her way to her younger sister's bedroom, her father had stopped her and asked her to have some tea.

She assented and watched as Hiashi whisked the tea silently. Hinata accepted the tea with a grateful nod and a small smile.

"Are you feeling okay, Father?" she asked.

Hiashi sighed. "To be honest, Hinata, no."

Hinata was instantly concerned. "Is everything all right?"

"With my daughters, yes, they are," he said with a brief smile. "But I'm working up my nerve to ask for your forgiveness."

"Forgiveness!" Hinata said with surprise. She had to set her tea down gently on the tatami mat. "Whatever for?"

"Hinata! What else?" Hiashi said with another sigh. "For my cruelty to you when you were younger! For failing at being a father."

"I never blamed you!" Hinata said with. "Father, it's in the past. You've been very kind to me all these years after you realized your mistake."

Hiashi looked at her, unblinking. "It's easy for you to forgive, but I find it hard to forgive myself for being blind to everything, for putting too much pressure on you and keeping my expectations unrealistic when you were just a child."

Hinata smiled at her father gently, noting the lines on his face. He'd aged so much, she suddenly realized.

She continued, "But you gave me the freedom to grow and be myself after you stopped. And I'll be forever grateful to you for that. Because I wasn't the heir, I found my calling and was able to thrive when I was away from Konoha working the diplomatic missions. I think I would've slowly died if I had stayed only with the clan, only in the village."

Hinata reached for her father's hand and patted it. Hiashi only stared at her as she kept on reassuring him.

"Hanabi is the perfect heir to the Hyuuga; you made the right decision. She thrives and loves being in command. She has the perfect temperament for it while I'm more at ease being in the background."

Hiashi remained silent.

Hinata continued with a gentle smile, "If you've made me the heir, I wouldn't have been as effective. I'd second-guess every decision. And I would only do it because it would be a duty, but I don't think I would've enjoyed it. I think it all worked out in the end."

"That doesn't excuse my poor treatment of you."

"No, it doesn't, but I'm ready to move on. You should, too," she said kindly.

"You're being too easy on me, Hinata."

Hinata brought her tea back to her lips. She took a sip and shook her head at him. She thought of Naruto and a smile filled with love for him settled on her face.

"No, Father. I'm just accepting that there's nothing I can do about the past. It's the present and the future that matters, what we do from here on out. I think you're being too hard on yourself."

"Hinata, somebody has to."

Hinata laughed. "Well, it's not going to be me. I'm happy, and I'd like everyone to be happy, too."

Hiashi shook his head. There was nothing he could say to that.

"Hinata, in any case, I—"

Suddenly, the door to the tea house opened with a loud bang as Hanabi slid it with enough force to almost knock it out of its slot.

"You guys are having matcha without me?!" she yelled. "How dare you?!"

Hinata laughed, noticing that Hanabi was in full-performance mode. "Come in, you brat. You were listening outside weren't you?"

Hanabi gave up on her angry pose and grinned at both of them. "Of course! You know me so well!"

She came in with a swagger and squeezed her older sister. Hanabi then turned to her father and asked, "Father, could you make some for me, please?"

Hiashi shook his head at her with a frown but he picked up another bowl and the whisk.

Hanabi sighed with satisfaction as soon as she finished her first sip. She bowed at her father solemnly then said, "Father, you really need to stop being so _melodramatic_! Don't worry about anything anymore. She said she's ready to move on, so just accept it. We should be grateful to Naruto-niisama, who's obviously doing her right. Onee-sama's so happy in lust with him right now, she'll forgive _everything_!"

" _Hanabi!"_ came Hinata's mortified screech.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Sisterhood is a beautiful thing, guys.

I'm dedicating this chapter to my sister, who has been my very best friend and has always encouraged me :)

And yes, my headcanon Hanabi is sweet _and_ savage.


	26. Idiot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to get this out as quickly as I could, but work projects came up. Anyway, here it goes.

**Chapter 26: Idiot**

The weeks that Hinata moved in with him were the happiest of Naruto's life. He loved having her in the apartment, her presence dispelling all the old ghosts of his lonely past. She was there to welcome him home and to share his meals, to talk to before going to bed. The nights, she was there to love, to kiss, and to hold.

But he soon came to dread the mornings when she left for her missions, imagining her getting hurt and never coming home. While Hinata had recovered from her brush with death, had even managed to happily report to the Hokage the following week, Naruto found himself frozen with fear whenever he came home to an empty apartment. Every time he heard her turn the key and safely return home, he would breathe a sigh of relief. He needed to calm down before he could compose his face into a welcoming smile and go out to meet her at the entrance.

Hinata had sensed his unease and had tried to make him feel better, teasing him out of his funks, which made him feel even worse. He felt impotent, unable to do anything to keep her safe. She'd kissed his fears away, but they always came back every time she left the apartment or left Konoha to report for duty.

It wore on him, so he went to Shikamaru for help, thinking maybe that since he was the Hokage's assistant, he could do something to lessen Hinata's load.

But to his surprise, Shikamaru only looked at him with a serious look on his face.

"Shikamaru, so you think you can help me out?" he wheedled. "Maybe you can just give her the easy ones where she won't run into too much trouble."

"Naruto, stop," Shikamaru said with a shake of his head. "Do you realize what you're doing? This isn't right."

He felt guilty, but Naruto kept the smile on his face and his tone light. "Yeah, I know I probably shouldn't use my pull with you guys since you're a friend and the Hokage's my former captain, but I just want to make sure Hinata doesn't get hurt."

"That's not what I meant."

Naruto frowned, then glared at Shikamaru. "Look, if it was Temari, you'd probably be doing the same thing."

Shikamaru's gaze was hard. "No, I wouldn't. She doesn't need me to do anything for her. I trust her. Temari can handle herself. _Think_ , Naruto. What are you doing to Hinata?"

But Naruto was mulish. "Shikamaru, I just want to make sure she's okay! Why can't you just help me out?"

Shikamaru only shook his head at him. "You're being the biggest pain in the ass right now. You're disrespecting Hinata and you don't even realize it."

"I'm not! I'm doing what a man should be doing for his woman! She needs to be protected."

"Naruto, you're not getting it."

"Shikamaru, you're the one who's not getting it! All you have to do is just not put her into harm's way. It's such a simple thing!" Naruto yelled.

Shikamaru looked at him for a long time. Then he walked away without another word, leaving Naruto angry and frustrated that nobody seemed to understand what he was feeling. If Shikamaru wasn't going to help him, he would have to talk to Kakashi directly, then.

* * *

Hinata was supposed to meet him for dinner after they both ended their missions that day, but she was late. Naruto made his way towards the tower knowing that she was probably just finishing her report with the Hokage.

He found her at the steps talking to Shikamaru. Her back was to him but Shikamaru had noticed him. His expression tightened but he continued chatting with Hinata.

Shit. He had an idea of what the conversation was about. Damn Shikamaru for ratting him out! He didn't think his friend would be the type. He didn't interrupt them but he glared at the Hokage's assistant.

Hinata then nodded and lifted a hand to wave good-bye. Shikamaru smiled briefly at her then left without a backward glance at him.

She finally turned around and gave a start when she saw him standing there. Her luminous smile was missing. He saw that her jaw was clenched. She was angry, then.

He waited for her to get near, bracing himself.

"Naruto, did you talk to Shikamaru about me? About my missions in the future?"

"Yes, I did."

"Why?"

"Because I want to protect you."

"I respect your feelings, but in the future, please don't do that. I think I can handle myself." She tried to smile at him, but he saw that it took so much effort to do it.

"Yes, I know that, Hinata, but I just wanted to help you."

"You can do that by not going straight to Shikamaru. You could've talked to me first."

"I tried a couple times but you're so stubborn about the subject."

"You did, and I'm sorry."

But her eyes were begging him to understand as she continued, "Naruto, really, I'm fine. It was that one incident. I'm safe now, right? What's the problem? This really has nothing to do with you."

Naruto recoiled in surprise. He couldn't help his frustration boiling over at her words. He shouted angrily at her, "Nothing to do with me?! Hinata, you almost _died_! How is that not going to affect me?!"

Hinata shook her head and tried to apologize. She laid a hand on his arm, but he shrugged her off and backed away a step. She was shaken but she left it at that and didn't try to touch him again.

Instead, she took a breath and started again. "Naruto, I'm really sorry, I was angry and I chose the wrong words. I meant to say that it happened during work when I wasn't with you."

Naruto felt like screaming some more, but she was trying to be calm, so he needed to make an effort for her. Unfortunately, his feelings were boiling over and the words left him without thought. "That's exactly my point! Hinata, I'm just trying to protect you! Why can't you understand that?! I don't want you to die."

She nodded. "I understand how you feel more than you think, Naruto, but just don't get in the way again by going to Shikamaru, that's all I'm asking you to do."

"I'm your boyfriend! I have the right to do it!"

"Not with my job, Naruto!"

He sputtered again with surprise. Why was she refusing to see his point?! Naruto glared at her, mute with irritation.

Hinata sighed, but the frown she shot him was fierce. "Don't do it again, please. I love you, but I'll be damned if I let you interfere with my shinobi duties!"

Exasperated, Naruto raked his fingers through his hair. "Hinata! Why are you being so stubborn?! You can _still_ go on the missions. I'm not doing anything wrong by asking them to give you the easier ones, where you won't get so badly hurt."

Something changed in her, making her lose control as she came up to him in one angry stride. Her voice was hard as her eyes blazed furiously at him. "Naruto, damn it! I am not helpless! I am not a burden! I am _not_! I don't need to be protected all the time."

She stopped, took a deep breath as she saw him folding his arms and continuing to glare at her. She was shaking as she continued, "I'm _shinobi_! I can die at any moment because I've accepted that. It's the path I've chosen for my life! I've made my peace with that and _you_ need to do the same."

His jaw was tight. "Hinata, that was before we were together. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to go through that again."

Her hands fisted at her sides, trying to gain control of herself, but he could see that she was losing it.

"How do you think I felt all those years when I watched you willingly put yourself in danger?! _All the time_ ," she said, and her voice cracked with fury and despair. "But I never once doubted you, Naruto. _Never_. I believed in you every time because that's who _you_ are."

Damn it! That was a whole different issue! They were talking about _her_ , not him. Naruto shut his mouth and resolutely folded his arms. He had nothing to say to her if she was going to continue this way.

Hinata shook her head as she took in his posture. "You won't even try to understand my point?"

She stepped back and looked at him. And the lights died in her eyes. Then she took a deep breath and released it slowly. But he heard a catch in her breath as emotions overwhelmed her. With a final look of pleading, she said, "Don't clip my wings, Naruto."

She turned and walked away from him. He saw her shoulders slump and a hand come up to her face. Probably to wipe away the tears from her eyes.

He watched her go, still vibrating with anger, unwilling to concede the point. Why couldn't she understand his need to protect her?! He didn't want her getting hurt, he couldn't stand the thought. He just wanted her to stay alive.

He was Naruto. He'd fought countless enemies and survived. He was going to protect her, damn it! No matter what.

But she kept on walking and never looked back.

He sighed when she disappeared from his view so he went to Ichiraku on his own. He ate dinner listlessly, feeling bad that he wasn't doing the ramen justice. Then he got up and walked back to the apartment, where the lights weren't on and it felt so...empty.

Naruto gave an angry huff. He walked back out, on his way to the Hyuuga house, where she was probably still sulking. But something told him that she wasn't there so he turned on his sage mode to check. He couldn't find a trace of her chakra in her home.

He turned away with a frown, still with his sage mode on. And then he felt it, a dim light in the darkness. She was at the cemetery, with Neji.

He should have known. He cursed, still irritated with her. Now she was going to make him go pick her up. His steps quickened, however. He didn't like the idea of her being out in the dark this late by herself.

* * *

Hinata sprawled on the grass in front of Neji's grave. She'd cried her heart out, let everything spill from her, and now she was exhausted. She didn't feel like moving so she kept her cheek pressed against the cool earth. Her arms lay on the dewy grass, which helped cool her emotions down.

Being with Neji helped her feel a little bit better. She recalled the memories when they'd trained together, remembered the smile that her cousin had always bestowed on her when she'd accomplished her goals. She searched her memories for Shikamaru's proud smile, for the Hokage's eyes beaming at her with approval. She tried to desperately cling to them.

But it was no use as all she could see was Naruto's hard face, doggedly refusing to believe she could handle herself.

Hinata sighed again. She just wanted to stay here for the night even as concern for Naruto was running through her mind. She should probably get up and go home, but she didn't move. Part of her just didn't want to give a damn, to let him stew in his anger and his idiocy.

Tonight, she would cry. Tomorrow she would pull up her pants and deal with whatever bullshit she needed to handle. But tonight, she just wanted catharsis.

Naruto completely doubting her abilities had rocked her, had let the old doubts of her childhood flood into her, destroying the confidence she'd worked so hard to build. She thought she'd gotten past that stage, that she was done bowing to the pressure of feeling useless and so coddled. But the fact that Naruto hadn't trusted her abilities had made her feel hopeless again, had made her feel like the helpless little girl she'd once been.

And she hated herself, and resented him, for feeling it again. She tried to steel her heart, but pain was lodged there. She didn't want to suffer through it. So she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, until she felt calm, until she felt the dark claim her, felt herself drifting to sleep, to oblivion so she can forget how much it hurt to have the one person she loved so much in this world lose his faith in her.

* * *

Naruto saw Hinata's body slumped on the grass and felt panic welling in him.

"Hinata!" he yelled as he gathered her body into his arms and shook her awake, completely forgetting that he had sage mode and beast mode to check whether she was dead or not. All he saw was a lifeless Hinata and he couldn't deal with it.

Kurama had to clunk him hard on the head. "She's alive, you idiot!"

_Ouch, Kurama! That freaking hurt! You didn't need to hit me that hard!_

"You're lucky I only did it lightly! I should just take all your chakra away from you because you don't deserve it!" Kurama growled, completely angry at him. "The poor girl."

Naruto was about to argue some more but Hinata stirred and opened her eyes, saw him, and a blank mask instantly covered her face.

He wanted to hug her and ask her forgiveness for whatever it was that he'd done, but she flinched and drew back from his touch. She huddled into herself, drawing her body into a tighter ball.

An intense shaft of pain pierced his heart.

Hinata, the sweetest person in the world, didn't want to be touched by him, had rejected his loving embrace.

Yes, it was official now: he was the biggest, fucking idiot in the world.

It hadn't been her earlier words that had affected him, it was the physical act of her drawing back away from him that finally made him realize the wrong he'd done her.

Naruto knew he never wanted to see the look of pain he'd just seen in her eyes ever again. He finally understood why she was so angry at him, but it wasn't really anger. It was hurt—hurt that he'd lost his faith in her.

He, Naruto, who'd taken Hinata's unwavering belief in him for granted, and had relied so much on her strength for most of his life, had withheld his own faith in her. He'd undermined her by talking to Shikamaru, had unknowingly discredit her skills as a shinobi, and hadn't trusted her enough to handle herself in times of danger.

His head had been so far up his ass in his own arrogance that he'd ignored her pleas to understand her. He'd been focused too much on his own need to protect her that he hadn't thought about her feelings on this issue. Even as she'd spoken earlier to him, Naruto hadn't really listened, hadn't heard her. Instead, he'd pouted at her for being so dense in not understanding his feelings, when it was actually the opposite. He'd ignored her need to be valued as a capable shinobi, a warrior who'd faced death and survived.

"I'm sorry! Hinata, I'm so sorry!" he whispered, hating himself for making her feel this much hurt that she would shy away from his touch.

"God, I'm so sorry."

It was all he could say as he watched the tears pool in her eyes then stream down her cheeks as she lay in his arms so limp and exhausted, but mostly, looking so _defeated_.

And he'd done that to her.

Then he felt her arms wrap tightly around him and he suddenly wanted to cry, too.

He crushed her to him and breathed a grateful sigh that she wasn't resisting his embrace anymore. She laid her chin on his shoulder and rested her head against his neck.

"I love you," he said against her temple. "Hinata, please forgive me. I'm sorry."

He felt her nod, and the relief he felt made him weak.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata. I'm an idiot."

Her shoulders shook slightly, and he felt the flutter of her tiny laugh against his chest.

"Fucking _dumbass_ ," she whispered.

 _Thank god_ , he thought fervently, grateful that she was still talking to him.

"I am! The biggest one in the world," he said with feeling. "You're right, Hinata."

Naruto felt her body soften, the tension easing from her _._ He held her and rocked her, hoping he could warm her, hoping she would love him again, and waiting for her to say something more because he couldn't face her right now. All the while, he prayed to the gods that he would remember this night and never forget. Never forget how decimating it was when people didn't believe in you.

He'd taken her faith in him for granted, hadn't realized that she'd had her own deep issues, too. Her childhood fears had risen to the surface and had made her feel powerless again. Her feelings of inadequacy were always going to be part of her and he needed to understand that about her. Hinata also needed someone to not only love her, but also _believe_ in her, and he'd forgotten that in his selfish need to shield her from harm.

Finally, she pulled back a little and looked into his face. Her eyes were still sad, but there was resolve returning, too.

"I'm _not_ helpless. I just need you to believe in me…"

His face tautened with worry before he could help it. She reached up to touch the pucker between his brows. He closed his eyes at her touch. She'd already forgiven him but his heart still ached for the hurt he'd caused her.

"I do! Hinata, I know you're strong. You've got so much strength that I'm always borrowing from you. I'm sorry for doubting you...I just want to protect you, to keep you safe as much as I can. I don't want you to die."

"You can't, Naruto. It's impossible," she said gently. "We're shinobi. Nothing changes that. We live with the possibility of death every day. It's just who we are."

It was. He'd just lost sight of it because he'd been crazy with fear, with worry. To lose her now, when he'd felt so happy would destroy him. He knew it deep down. She was elemental, necessary for his own being. But at his core, he was also a ninja of Konoha; loss was a fabric of their lives.

He closed his eyes and nodded, hating the idea of death, but loving Hinata for filling his life.

There it was: the never-ending duality of his shinobi soul.

"We endure," he whispered.

* * *

Naruto took her home and made love to her, kissing his way up and down her body, trying to do penance for the sin he'd committed. She responded in kind with her sweetness, her heart so easy to forgive him because she still loved him and her feelings would never waver.

He slowly trailed his fingers down her neck and cupped her breast, bringing her nipples to his mouth as he suckled and bit gently while he kneaded her heated flesh. Hinata moaned low in her throat even as his tongue kept flicking over her skin. He moved lower, kissing a path down her stomach until he reached the space between her legs. Slowly, he brushed his lips on the inside of her thighs until he came to her core and grazed her with his tongue.

Then she was panting, hands in his hair, back arching off the bed as he fought his own desire. Her thighs were restless against his head and shoulders but he wanted her to feel loved so he continued kissing, licking, suckling the softest part of her until she shook and cried out as pleasure coursed through her.

She reached for him, clutching at his arms.

But he only shook his head wordlessly, looked briefly into her eyes when she came back to him. He gave her a hug and drew her onto him, tucked her body against his, and pulled up the covers.

"It's fine, Hinata. I'm okay," he whispered against her hair. "You're tired. Let's just go to sleep."

But she pushed against him and placed her hand on his cheek as she gazed at him. "No, you're not done yet."

He knew she could feel his erection against her thighs, but he wanted to punish himself by denying himself the pleasure of her body. He didn't deserve it.

Naruto gave her a kiss on the lips and said again, "No, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

He smiled at her, but he didn't really look at her. It was still difficult to meet her eyes, the guilt still weighed at him. His gaze was fixed on the spot behind her head on the pillow.

She slapped him.

Lightly.

It startled him enough to really look at her face.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" she asked, her gaze sharp. She looked at him, her lavender eyes pierced him, cut right through the confusing emotions in him and made him face his twisted logic.

He sighed. "Hinata, I don't deserve you. I shouldn't be rewarded for being an idiot."

Her smile was gentle. "Naruto, it doesn't work like that. You're denying _me_ , too, when you do this."

"Why should I feel pleasure, when I just hurt you tonight?!"

She shook her head and reached for him, wrapping her hands gently around his length, making him groan out loud. "It doesn't work like that," she whispered again. "Naruto, we're _making_ love. Together. I want to feel you in me."

His hands covered hers, intending to pull hers away, but she kissed him, mouth open, trying to coax him into responding to her. She stroked him. Naruto had to close his eyes. He could feel the lust and desire in him roaring to life, but he wanted to make it up to Hinata.

"You're doing it again, Naruto, taking on too much. It's not just about _you_. This is for both of us. I _need_ you," she said, still caressing him.

He groaned softly, unable to deny her. And then he was slipping into her, closing his eyes against the heat that never seemed to leave him when they were like this, joined together.

He moved desperately, thrust into her without any finesse, gripping her, holding her close to him. He watched her expressive face as she peaked, her eyes closing, her body shuddering and tightening around him. The moan that always ended on a sigh.

"Oh, god, Naruto!" she cried out.

"Hinata, I love you. You're too good to me," he said against her ear. He grasped one of her legs, raised it to his hip so she could take more of him. She did, her body accommodating and pulling him in closer with each thrust. Until he gave that one desperate push that sent him over the edge, and her arms held him, steadied him, reminding him of her constant presence in his life. He breathed her name against her neck.

Naruto shifted in the bed, taking her along with him and pressing her to his side. He kissed her hair but kept his eyes squeezed shut because he still couldn't face her, couldn't believe how much he'd hurt her this night.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata."

She'd been drifting off to sleep, but her eyes opened when he'd apologized again. She leaned upon his chest and he finally looked at her.

Hinata's face was clear, her gaze direct. "I love you. And I don't want you to feel bad anymore about it, but I just need you to have faith in me from here on out—the way I believe in you. Do you think you can do that?"

He cupped a hand on her jaw and brushed a thumb against her cheek. "Yes, even though it kills me to see you leave every morning when you go on your missions because you might never come back."

She smiled at him, and he was glad to see her usual gentle, radiant expression. "For me, too: when I leave, and when I see _you_ go out that door."

Hinata kissed him. "But every time you come back safe, I live again."

* * *

It was true.

When Naruto kissed her good-bye, he found that coming back home and seeing her there in his apartment made him feel grateful that he could still bask in her warmth. When Hinata left for hers, he tamped down his overprotectiveness as he saw how eagerly she was looking forward to her missions. For her, every mission was a chance to prove her worth, and he never forgot again. She was just spreading her wings and he didn't want to be the person who would clip them.

Eventually, it became easier to watch her skip out of the apartment and to wait for her impatiently again at the Konoha gates.

"What time today, Naruto?" Izumo called out with a laugh.

"She said around 5:00 p.m." Naruto responded with a smile.

"Yeah?" Kotetsu said, but his eyes were drawn to the road when they all heard the sounds of laughter. The figures were still far away to see, but the voices were clear.

"Ino!" came Hinata's shocked voice. "Really?! I don't think I can do that! It sounds so crazy, it boggles my mind."

Ino's laughter was joined by Sakura's. The medic said, "That's because all you're missing is imagination, Hinata!"

"Let me know if you want to check it out and I'll lend you Sai's copy."

More laughter and giggling erupted from Ino and Sakura but there was a gasp and then a small chuckle from Hinata.

"They're early today," Izumo said with a smile as the girls finally came into full view.

Sakura smiled at Naruto when she saw him. "Our lone ranger awaits!"

"Welcome back," he greeted them all, but he turned to Hinata with open arms. She unhesitantly ran into them. At her hug, he closed his eyes and sighed against her hair.

There were sounds of gagging.

"Ugh!" Ino said with disgust. "You guys are too damned sweet, I just want to vomit."

Sakura snorted. "Save it, Ino. If you start vomiting now, you won't be able to keep up because they're not going to stop. This could go on forever. There's not enough inside of you to hack up."

Hinata burrowed her face further into his chest and laughed while Naruto glared at them.


	27. The Tea Ceremony

**Chapter 27: The Tea Ceremony**

Naruto sighed as he took off his forehead protector and set it beside him. He rubbed his forehead and scratched the back of his head. He was tired and dusty so he plunked down onto the grass under the tree he'd chosen to rest. Beyond him, the grounds of the Ninja Academy echoed with the sound of screaming kids, their shurikens whizzing through the air and hitting the boards.

He could hear Shino's voice instructing the students. "Nice job, all of you. You actually hit the boards. Next time, though, let's try to get the shurikens _in_ the circle. Why? Because that's the target."

"Shino-sensei! We know that!"

Naruto laughed.

He was waiting for Hinata to finish working. She was helping out today again at the academy and was going to meet him at this spot when she was done. He could hear her voice gently encouraging and also gently threatening those who were slacking off.

"Come here, Naomichi!" her words drifted to him. "That's the second time you're sitting down in the ten minutes we've started. If you don't want to move and work hard, I've got my byakugan already activated anyway so why don't I just disable your chakra points for you?"

_Ooh, kid, you better run!_ Naruto thought with a grin. Or give up and do what she says.

He looked up to the blue sky and crossed his fingers behind his head. It was warm today, so he'd unzipped his jacket and used it as a blanket on the ground.

He sighed in contentment. The clouds above floated slowly and Naruto followed their movements with his eyes while his thoughts slowly reflected on his life.

It was during these restful, quiet moments that he realized how lucky he was that Hinata had come into his life at the right time. Though his past had been filled with darkness, she'd also filled him with light during the moments she'd reached out to him, all those years when they'd just been friends. Now, when his soul felt peaceful, he could appreciate her more for what she was: a beautiful, loving woman who fit him, who knew him and understood who he was.

Life was being good to him. He wasn't going to complain. The restlessness he'd felt during his missions abroad and before coming back to Konoha had disappeared. Hinata had been that one piece missing in his life. The future stretched out before him, and his vision always included her by his side.

Naruto suddenly yawned and felt his eyelids drooping. He didn't realize he was this exhausted.

A few hours later, Hinata came to lay next to him, equally as dusty as he was. She laughed softly when she saw his lashes fanning his cheeks. There was a smudge of dirt on his right cheek and she reached out to wipe it off, which woke him.

He grinned at her when he opened his eyes and shifted to make more room for her on his jacket.

"Hey, Hinata," he murmured in greeting. "You guys done?"

Hinata nodded as she adjusted her body against him. She laid on her back against his right side and let his body warm her. She sighed when she saw the small leaves caught in her hair.

"I'm a mess!" she said with a laugh as she started picking at them.

Naruto shifted to his side, raised his head up to support it with his right hand so he could look down at her. He grasped her left arm, raised it to the sky, and ran his fingers up to her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed her fingers. He shook his head at her with a smile. "You're beautiful."

She laughed. " _You_ are delusional. I don't feel beautiful at all! What I am is tired. Sometimes, I think working with kids is more exhausting than missions," she said with a yawn. "These kids are giving me a run for my money."

He shook his head again. "No, you're forever beautiful."

Naruto let her hand fall back onto her stomach, but a moment later, he reached for her hand again, slowly caressed his way up her arm as he raised it to the sky and Hinata saw and felt him slide a ring onto her finger.

She froze.

"Now you're even more perfect," he said as he slipped it more firmly past her knuckle, where it lay heavy and glinted cheerfully under the light of the evening sun.

Hinata gasped, looked at the ring on her finger, their entwined fingers splayed against the sky, then up at him.

"Naruto?" she whispered.

"Yes," he said, a small smile on his face, hope in his eyes.

"That's what you say," he urged.

Hinata blinked at him, still feeling shock running through her body. He was still smiling at her, still holding her hand.

"Yes," he said again. This time, he took their joined hands and placed them on his chest, on his heart. "Because it feels right in here."

Hinata's eyes misted as she listened to the love and reverence in his voice.

"Yes," he whispered one more time, leaning over, and brushing a kiss on her forehead, sighing. "Because it's only you for me."

She swallowed, overcome with emotion as his eyes pierced her.

"Yes," he repeated, more firmly this time, his grin in place. "Because you're mine."

" _Always,_ " she finally said. She grabbed him by his shirt, pulled him down to her, and kissed him on the mouth, happy tears streaming down her face.

"Naruto!" Hinata was laughing and crying at the same time as she realized something. "You know, you didn't even ask me the question!"

He grinned at her, mischief lurking in his blue eyes. "I don't need to! Your eyes, your body, your heart have already said yes. Hinata, I love you and I believe that you love me enough to accept me for what I am. It's just _your_ lips now that needs to say it."

He was right.

"Yes!" she yelled as she launched herself at him. He fell back onto his jacket and grunted with laughter as she sprawled across his chest then proceeded to shower his face and his golden hair with kisses.

She then grabbed his cheeks with her gentle hands and looked into his eyes. Hers were shining with joy. "Naruto, you've made me so happy. I love you. I can't wait to be your wife!"

Then she was kissing him earnestly, her lips moving gently as he opened his to accommodate her teasing mouth. She was smiling, he could feel her lips stretch even as he licked at her. His busy hands were on her back, slowly drifting down to her butt, but she slapped them away playfully before he could get to the good part.

"Just because you proposed doesn't mean you're getting your way with _that,_ " she laughed with exasperation. "We're not going to do it outside! No matter how much you ask me to."

His answering smile was wicked. "Never say never, Hinata."

She laughed but kissed him again. She stopped and stretched her arm out to inspect her new ring, which was glittering fiercely in the pink rays of sunlight. She breathed a sigh of relief then grinned down at him.

"I have to say, I'm satisfied with this ring. It's perfect and not too gaudy! Your taste in jewelry is surprisingly pretty good. Did you pick this out by yourself?"

He started to frown. "Wait. What?!"

She laughed as she hugged him, trying to tease out the pucker on his face.

"This is a beautiful ring, Naruto. I love it!"

"Hinata! You just said I had no taste when it comes to jewelry! You're horrible!"

His teasing smile was back, though, when he saw how happy she really was. "But I'm really glad you like it!"

"Well, did you? Pick it out by yourself?"

Naruto laughed, proud of himself. He was also relieved that she'd accepted him and hadn't thrown his proposal back at his face.

"As a matter of fact, I _did_."

* * *

He'd found the perfect ring with a diamond a shade of pink that when hit with a certain light, resembled her lavender eyes. Weeks ago, he'd been on his way home but had decided on a whim to stop by a jewelry store to buy her a present. He'd wanted to apologize properly for his knuckleheaded treatment of her feelings, intending to buy her a necklace. Instead, his eye had been drawn to that diamond, sitting behind other flashier rings, in the back of the jewelry case.

"Oh, this one?" the clerk had sighed. "It's hard to sell because it's supposed to be a pink diamond but the imperfections make it look more purple than anything. So the purists, those who want it to be completely pink, didn't think it was good enough to be labeled as such. Nobody wants it because it looks more like a sapphire than a diamond."

"Imperfections," Naruto murmured with a grin as he held the ring up in the light, glinting lavender. It was beautiful, but it didn't match the clarity of Hinata's gaze.

The clerk heard him and reached for the ring, intending to put it away but Naruto stopped him with a shake of his head.

He smiled at the man and said, "I want it."

It was perfect for Hinata. He liked the duality of it. It was an expensive ring masquerading as a more muted one. Just like Hinata, who was a tough shinobi underneath her exterior as a delicate butterfly. Plus, it was exquisite: a simple round cut diamond set in a band of white gold. It was unaffected, elegant, but with hidden facets.

As he waited for the clerk to wrap up his purchase, Naruto realized that though their relationship was clearly not perfect because they both had their flaws, he wanted to be with her forever. As soon as he'd seen the ring, he'd made up his mind to ask her to marry him. It was the easiest decision he'd ever made in his life. He'd bought it right then and there but had held on to it until he could find the perfect time to make his proposal.

And since he'd been going on instinct, he'd decided on that same day he'd bought the ring that he would stop by the Hyuuga house to visit with her father. Luckily, Hiashi had been home to see him. He'd taken one look at Naruto's solemn face and humphed with a laugh.

"Take your jacket and your head protector off, Naruto," he suddenly said.

" _Sir?!_ " Naruto squeaked, completely flabbergasted. He really hoped he wasn't going to face off against the old man, recalling the day he'd had to fight Hanabi on his first visit to their home. He didn't want to fight Hiashi Hyuuga and injure his future father-in-law. Or worse, get himself whipped by Hinata's dad. In his mind, he started going through the advice that Hanabi had given him, how to fight off the byakugan when under its effect.

Hiashi chuckled out loud. "I thought you were going to call me Old Man?"

His trepidation must have been obvious on his face because Hiashi looked at him and gentled his voice. "I'm inviting you into a tea ceremony, Naruto, and you can't have anything on you that will remotely disturb the peace and serenity of the space."

Relieved, but still nervous, Naruto did as Hiashi said and handed his coat and head protector to Koh, who'd come again to help him out. He followed the older man to a small teahouse and slid through the tiny rectangular entrance to sit on the tatami mat. He waited in silence as Hiashi boiled water then whisked the bitter tea in the bowl. Hiashi finally finished and handed it to him. Naruto took it from the older man and sipped the delicate brew.

"You can relax, Naruto. Stretch out your legs so you don't have to sit seiza," Hiashi said.

Naruto shook his head. "I'm okay, but thank you."

Hiashi smiled. "So you've come to ask me a question?"

Naruto took a deep breath. "Old Man Hiashi, I want to marry Hinata. I love her with all my heart. I haven't talked to her yet, but I wanted to ask your permission first."

He brought out the ring and showed it to the older man.

"It fits her. I think she'll like it," Hiashi said with an approving smile. Then he nodded and sighed. "You know, I've been waiting for this day for a long time. I've known since your first date, since the first time you brought her back home that you would sweep her off her feet."

Naruto was startled.

Hiashi smiled again. "But this is all pointless, you know. I told you before that I have no authority to dictate Hinata's life anymore, so your happiness will depend on her answer to your question. She's free to do what she wants to do. I'm not sure I even have the right to be called her father since I've forfeited that duty long ago when I made her childhood a living hell."

"But even still, she loves you and she would still want to have your blessing," Naruto said.

"Naruto," Hiashi said with a shake of his head, and there was a sad look on his face. "You're both so easily forgiving!"

Naruto found himself struggling for something to say so he took a drink of his tea again and thought of Hinata, how he'd bungled so much of his relationship with her, but she'd still loved him despite all his faults. He smiled. "Yes, she is. Hinata's the best part of me, and I think yours, too?"

And Hiashi laughed. "Yes, she is that. I have no doubt that she will make you happy, and I already know that you're going to treat her better than I ever did. I wish you luck, my boy, and hope that you cherish each other."

Hiashi then suddenly scooted back a foot from where he sat. Naruto watched in disbelief as this leader of the Hyuuga clan forgot his pride, humbled himself and bowed low, his arms and hands flat against the tatami mat as his forehead touched the weaving of rough straw.

"Naruto, I leave you my daughter and place her care in your hands."

And in his heart, Naruto heard the whisper of an old memory from another Hyuuga, " _It's not just one life you hold in your hands._ "

_I got you, Neji,_ he thought.

Then he turned to Hinata's father.

"Sir, really! Please don't do that!" Naruto said with panic, though he was deeply touched that Hiashi would do something like this. "This is just not my thing! I don't know what to do when people do super serious stuff like this."

Hiashi chuckled then sat up.

Naruto sighed with relief. "I usually have to rely on Hinata to guide me when it comes to this."

The older man nodded with understanding, but there was still a glimmer of a smile on his face. "We all do. She's such a natural."

And the both of them laughed.

They looked at each other, coming to an understanding.

Naruto's next words were spoken from the heart. "But I will spend the rest of my life loving her, making her happy, and protecting her as much as I can. I will never go back on my word. _Never_."

"I'll hold you to that promise and wish you both happiness, Naruto," Hiashi said.

Naruto glanced at Hiashi again. "Since we're being honest, there's one thing I have to say. I don't think I can keep calling you Old Man from here on out, and you said you don't like the word _sir_."

The older man looked interested. "Yes."

Naruto took a deep breath. "Would you permit me to call you Father? The way Hanabi and Hinata do?"

Hiashi blinked. Then he bowed low again, his hands flat on the mat, his forehead against the tatami. "Naruto, I will be honored."

"Father," Naruto said slowly, testing out the word. "Thank you."

Hiashi looked up, emotion strong in his face.

"God, this is so _awkward_!" Naruto groaned, then he laughed. "But you really have to stop bowing like that in front of me because it makes me feel super weird!"

Hiashi aimed a shallower bow at him then smiled. "Understood."

* * *

Back at the academy grounds, minutes after his proposal, Naruto told Hinata about finding the ring, about its imperfections making it the perfect ring for her. She laughed, enjoying the story behind it.

"It's so unique. Thank you. I really do love it, Naruto," she said as she looked back at him. He smiled and pressed a kiss on her nose. Then she sighed and leaned back against the warmth of his chest. It was darkening now, but they sat together at the same spot. He was sitting cross-legged with Hinata between his legs, her back to him, his arms loose around her, his hands were playing with her fingers and her hair.

They should probably head home, but he wanted to wait for just a few more minutes.

Hinata chuckled quietly as she looked at her ring again.

"Naruto. This ring, the proposal. Wow, you actually, _really_ put some thought into it!" she teased him.

Naruto humphed into her hair even as his lips pressed against the top of her head. "Hinata, are you making fun of me again?! Are you saying I don't normally _think_?"

She let out a sudden unladylike squeal of laughter as he tickled her, his fingers flicking over her midriff, her happy cries echoing through the air.

"I take it she said yes," came Kiba's dry voice, suddenly startling Hinata.

Naruto stopped tickling her then grinned at Shino and Kiba as they came into view. He took Hinata's hand and showed them the ring. "She's officially mine now," he said with pride.

Kiba beamed at both of them, truly pleased for her. "Congratulations, Hinata!"

Shino's smile was brief, but it lightened the normally serious expression on his face. "I'm glad, Hinata."

"Kiba, Shino," she said with surprise as she saw them. "What are you guys doing here?"

"I told them I was going to propose to you," Naruto murmured against her ear.

"Well, we wanted to make sure he would really do it and not mess it up," Kiba said with a snort. He laughed when Naruto glared at him.

"Don't mind Kiba, Hinata," Shino said as he nodded at Naruto.

"Nah. Just joking," Kiba said. "We just came to wish you happy, Hinata."

Hinata quickly stood up and sprinted to the two of them, who met her in their waiting arms. They wrapped her in a fierce hug as tears ran down her cheeks. Beside them, Akamaru woofed and gave a doggy whine. Hinata rubbed him affectionately on the head with the one hand she could free. The dog licked her fingers.

"I love you guys," she whispered.

Kiba laughed softly then patted her on the head. "Right back at you, Hinata. Always."

"We know, Hinata. Why? Because we're always going to be Team Eight," Shino said.

Naruto watched them all with a smile on his face.

Yes, life was good.


	28. The Wedding

**Chapter 28: The Wedding**

It was a perfect day for a wedding. The weather was beautiful, the air cool enough to keep everyone from sweating in their formal wear, but warm enough to keep everyone happy. The birds chirped their merry songs. There was not a cloud in the sky and the sun shone brightly over the guests gathered at the home of one of Konoha's most illustrious clans. They all waited eagerly for their first sight of the newly-married couple.

The bride and groom looked out into the courtyard where their guests awaited them. Behind them, the clan's Shinto shrine stood as background. The groom was dressed in a black kimono, while beside him, the bride was resplendent in a heavy white kimono. Her hair was up, flowers woven delicately into the strands of her hair. On her cheeks was a faint blush of pink, her lips shiny and red.

The groom looked at her and marveled at her beauty, thanking his lucky stars that she had agreed to his proposal and had given him her hand in marriage.

"You ready?" the groom asked gently, his eyes full of love, reaching out for his bride's outstretched hand.

The bride's serene face suddenly changed expression as she glared at him and snorted with irritation. "I've _been_ ready for ages! _You're_ the one who's caused the delay and kept us behind schedule."

The groom's loving expression turned to exasperation. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Man, this is such a pain in the ass._

Temari's green eyes flashed with agitation. "You just thought I'm being a pain in the ass, didn't you?"

Shikamaru flushed but he kept quiet.

"You have some nerve asking _me_ if I'm ready!"

"Temari, stop it," came Gaara's calming voice. "You should smile. They're taking pictures."

Beside him, Kankuro laughed. "Yeah, sis! You don't want _all_ your wedding photos to have the same angry face!"

Temari fought to compose her face into a more pleasant expression, but her eyes still shot daggers at her husband.

The wedding attendant looked nervously at the couple, who were doing a silent battle with their eyes. But eventually, Shikamaru smiled and Temari had to laugh. The assistant breathed a sigh of relief.

"Er, we're only ten minutes behind schedule, Shikamaru and Temari, so everything is going okay. But if you both would follow me, it's time for you guys to meet the guests."

Shikamaru offered his arm and Temari snorted again, but she had a smile on her face. The attendant, also dressed in a kimono, led them slowly out of the doors, where they were met with applause.

Naruto stood with Hinata and watched as the couple entered the courtyard. He felt his heart lift to see Shikamaru looking so happy and blissful. Temari looked pleased, but her expression was more muted than his. Beside her, Gaara and Kankuro looked on with encouragement.

Hinata sighed and tightened her arm around Naruto's waist. "They look lovely. I'm so happy for the both of them."

Naruto smiled at her and pressed a kiss on top of her head. "Yeah."

The newly-married couple made their way slowly around the courtyard, stopping to greet and chat with every guest.

"That's it! I've decided. I'm not going with a kimono for mine. Temari looks amazing, of course, but I think I want to wear an actual dress so I can move more freely," Ino said as she observed Temari walking in short, mincing steps, her kimono restricting her movements.

"Ino, you would be so gorgeous in a wedding dress!" Sakura cried.

"Oh, I _know_ ," came Ino's cheeky response.

Hinata laughed along with them.

Sakura looked at Hinata and Naruto and pursed her lips when she saw the diamond glinting on Hinata's ring finger. "How are your preparations going?"

Naruto gave a guilty start. He rubbed the back of his head as he glanced at Sakura. "I just proposed a couple of weeks ago. To be honest, I haven't really thought about it."

Hinata patted his arm reassuringly and smiled at him. Then she turned to Sakura and Ino. "Yeah, I haven't had the time either, but I think we're just going to take it slowly. There's no rush. Plus, I want to enjoy my time being an engaged woman."

"I wish I'd taken that stance," Ino said. "But Sai's the one in a rush and I didn't have the heart to say no."

They looked at Sai, who'd gone to get drinks for Ino and Sakura, and was now making his way back towards them.

Hinata stepped out of Naruto's arms and suddenly hugged Ino. She glanced at Sakura, who laughed and added her own arms to the girl hug.

"And we don't blame him, Ino! I'm just overjoyed that he's finally going to join your family, to have a place to belong. Your mother was so ecstatic the last time I saw her at the shop. He'll be Sai _Yamanaka_ from here on and that's so amazing for all of you."

Ino sniffled, but she gave a happy laugh. "Hinata! Don't make me cry! It's going to ruin my make-up."

Sakura chuckled and took out a tissue from her purse. "Here, let me fix this part here." And she proceeded to wipe at the smudge marks around Ino's eyes.

"Sorry, Ino," Hinata said apologetically. "But in a couple of months, we'll have another wedding to look forward to. I'm just so excited."

Sai finally worked his way around the other guests and was handing drinks to Ino and Sakura when Chouji joined them just then, looking so morose without Karui. Everyone did their best to cheer him up.

"It's really too bad that she had a mission and Karui couldn't make it, Chouji. But she'll be here next month for a visit, though. That's something to look forward to!" Hinata said with an encouraging smile.

"I guess," Chouji said with a pout.

"Chouji, cheer up! She'll be here again," Naruto said with a grin.

Gaara and Kankuro came to join them, too, and they all chatted and caught up, waiting for the bride and groom to reach their group. Naruto made sure to have Hinata as far away from Gaara's older brother as possible and held her arm to make the ring on her finger as obvious as possible. Kankuro only smirked at him as he drank from his glass.

And then Shikamaru and Temari were descending on them and there were lots of happy tears, boisterous hugging, and lots more laughter as the friends all basked in the union of this unlikely couple.

"Stop fussing, Ino! I'm fine. This is such a pain in the ass!" Shikamaru complained. He had to glower at them, especially at Ino, who kept touching his kimono. She was trying to fix the folds of the fabric because they'd wrinkled it with their fierce hugs. Meanwhile, Sakura and Hinata were trying to put the flowers back in Temari's hair. She only laughed and bore it all with goodwill. Kankuro finally had to step in and repair the damage.

The men only looked on, beaming at Shikamaru, who'd gotten off his lazy ass and had actually taken the initiative to become the first one of their group to step into the crazy world of _marriage_.

He took the teasing well and shook his head at them, particularly at Chouji, who still felt the loss of Karui from his side.

"Chouji…" Shikamaru started to say, but he laughed instead. "Look, they're giving the signal for the meal."

And Chouji perked up. They all walked to the banquet hall, preceded by the newly-married couple. As soon as the guests were settled in their places, Shikamaru stood up from the dais where he and Temari were seated. There was a hush as everyone looked at him expectantly.

"I'm not really the type to make speeches…" Shikamaru began, but he was blinded by the sudden grins that met his statement.

Everyone could hear him finishing the thought with: _because it's such a pain in the ass._

He smiled back at all of them, but for the first time in his life, didn't say it out loud.

"But thank you all for coming. Temari and I are happy to be spending this day with you, celebrating love and life with people who've given us joy."

He gave her a grin and then turned back to the guests.

"My father once said, 'No matter how strong-minded a woman is, she will show kindness to the man she loves.'"

They all looked at the table where Shikamaru's mother sat. Beside her, the photo of Shikaku Nara was in full display. His mother dabbed at her eyes, but she was happy as she looked at her son and his new bride.

"We've lost a lot of people in our lives, but they never really leave us. I wish my father could be here to see me marry the woman I love, but I feel his spirit here with us. And that's enough."

Temari reached out a hand and grasped Shikamaru's. He squeezed it, glanced at her briefly, and continued speaking. "But this day is a celebration, where mine and Temari's future begins."

Shikamaru looked through the crowd and found Kurenai sitting with Mirai. The little girl had a yellow dress on and was sitting, swinging her legs on the chair, waiting for the speech to end so she could finally touch the pink cake on the plate. Kurenai nodded at Shikamaru.

He glanced at Kakashi, Kankuro, and Gaara and added, "This union is also a reminder that we're all one shinobi world. Our marriage binds Konoha and Suna together, emphasizing the fact that our world is small but also linked together by so much love."

He laughed when he felt everyone getting restless. "Okay, I've gone on too long. That's probably the longest speech I've ever given, but I just wanted to say thank you all."

Shikamaru then held up the glass of champagne in his hand. Everyone did the same. "Kanpai!"

Naruto sat through it all with a smile on his face, but he felt a pang in his heart. He'd come to a realization when he glanced at the table where Shikamaru's mother sat with the photo of her husband. When it came to his and Hinata's wedding, the same thing would probably happen. They would need photos, too. Lots of it.

Inexplicably, the grief that always lingered in his heart drifted into his soul, filling him with sadness on this happy day. The drowning feeling engulfed him as he realized that like Shikamaru, his father and his master would not be there to celebrate with him. Nor his mother. His family.

Hinata felt his sorrow and reached out. She laid a hand on his chest and smiled at him. "Hey," she said gently. "Come back."

And at the sound of her sweet voice, Naruto did, feeling the warmth of her love wrap around him, easing the tightness in his chest, reminding him that there was a celebration. All around him, his friends were upbeat, chatting with each other. Ino was smiling at Shikamaru and Temari as she held hands with Sai. Chouji and Sakura were commiserating with each other about their significant others being missing from the wedding.

Hinata squeezed his hand and then leaned over to kiss him. "Even though his father's not here, look at how Shikamaru overflows with joy when he's with Temari. Just remember that."

Yeah, Naruto thought, glancing at Hinata beside him as they walked home from the wedding. There was a lot of joy in his life now.

But he knew that grief would always be a part of him, it would never leave him. There was nothing he could do about it because this was the way his life had turned out. He just wouldn't let it consume him.

He felt Hinata's hand on his arm, remembered her touching her chest when he'd eavesdropped on her conversation with Neji at his grave.

" _I still feel him here, you know."_

Grief. It was the same for her.

Naruto then remembered Kakashi's words, that day when he'd sought advice from the Hokage. Each time he felt the pain of loss, he would remember all the people who'd touched his life and take that opportunity to be grateful he'd had the chance to meet them when he'd been younger.

So he said a prayer: _Thank you, all of you._

He grinned up at the Hokage Monument and gazed at his father. Looking at the face on the rock, it felt like Minato hadn't really left him at all. Naruto placed a hand on his stomach. He could still feel his father's and his mother's chakra within him.

Naruto looked at Hinata walking quietly beside him, looking beautiful and elegant in the dark purple kimono she wore to the wedding. And he felt joy flooding him. He would just create memories, then, new ones—not to replace his old ones—but to build upon them. He was just going to add to the memories he had of his parents, of Jiraiya, of his friends, all the people he carried within him.

Memories...

New ones to make him whole again. New ones with Hinata.

Naruto felt peace stealing into him.

He grinned down at her, a gleam in his eyes. "Hinata, did I tell you that you look beautiful in that kimono?"

She laughed as she looked up into his eyes when he'd asked the question. "Yes, you already did. Thank you!"

His arm tightened around her waist. His voice dropped to a whisper. "When we get home, I want to undress you slowly."

She gasped, and he could see the flush on her cheeks.

"I want a new memory of you, Hinata. This will be the first time I'll be making love to you in a kimono."

And he continued to whisper in her ear what he was going to do to her in that kimono until they got home.

It was like opening a birthday present, Naruto thought. Only it was more erotic and more satisfying.

They stood in his living room, smiling at each other. He pulled the pins from her hair and watched the dark tendrils fall slowly against the creamy skin on her neck. He pressed his mouth at the base of her throat. Hinata closed her eyes even as his hands wandered lower.

Working on her clothing next, he tugged at the strings that bound the golden obi around her waist and watched as the stiff cloth fell away slowly from her body. The silky fabric of the kimono slowly parted to reveal Hinata's skin. She sighed as he trailed his fingers down her front. His lips soon followed, leaving her gasping as he worked his way down the valley between her breasts. He quickly got rid of her underwear but left the kimono on.

Naruto's breath left him as he gazed at her. Hinata looked wild and sensuous with her dark hair and the vibrant folds of the purple kimono billowing around her.

"No fair," she said as she stopped him with a hand on his chest. She looked at him and smiled, her eyes hungry as she took in the heat in his eyes and the flush on his skin. "I want to undress you, too."

Naruto's lips stretched into a smile. He'd already shrugged off the jacket of his suit earlier so she reached for his vest.

"Did I tell you that you look very handsome in your suit?" she teased as she worked on the buttons.

He laughed even as her compliment warmed him and sent his desire for her into overdrive. "Yes, you did. But I don't mind hearing it again and again."

She was pink, but she smiled seductively then leaned up to whisper in his ear. "You are so handsome, you leave me breathless every time I look at you. But you look even better with nothing on."

He tensed and was about to hug her, but she shook her head at him. "I want to finish undressing you first."

His eyes were glinting at her with amusement. "Hurry up, then."

She only laughed and took her time. When Hinata was done with his vest, she worked on the buttons of his shirt, pulling them out of his waistband and running her palms over the skin it revealed. She unbuckled his belt and helped him shrug off his pants and his underwear, leaving him completely naked. She was still wearing the kimono loose around her, and every time she leaned into him and kissed a part of his body, he felt the silky fabric brush against his skin.

He drew her to him, guided her to the bed. They were kneeling on his mattress, facing each other, and Hinata liked that she could see him and watch his eyes close as she ran her hands down his body, lingering on the length of him, slowly caressing until he breathed deeply, opened his eyes and pounced on her.

Then she was on her back as his lips were kissing her breasts, on her nipples while his fingers were between her legs, gently, but ruthlessly, teasing. The silky kimono wrapped around her and him, and the contrast of it added to the feeling of sensuality around them. His teeth gently bit her nipple just as he touched the spot deep within her core that caused her to tense up, close her eyes and cry out softly, releasing the breath she'd been holding as pleasure overtook her.

She found herself suddenly being lifted up to her knees, his gentle hands sliding the kimono off her body, leaving her finally naked to his touch. Naruto held her against him, his stomach was at her lower back, his chest to her shoulders. Hinata leaned her head back against his shoulder as his lips burned a path down the right side of her neck. She had to raise her arm and hook it around his head for support. Her fingers threaded through his hair as he angled her mouth to meet his kiss.

His knees were on the bed, his thighs were spread, clamped around her, anchoring them to the mattress. She was on her knees, too, but sitting upright and had to steady herself by planting a hand on top of his thigh. She could feel him trying to gain entrance into her, but his mouth was still busy on her lips. He seemed satisfied to just linger and kiss her, but she soon became impatient and squirmed against him.

Naruto laughed and pulled slightly away from her mouth. "Sorry, but I just want to kiss you like this while I can still think."

 _Think_ , she thought with amusement but it quickly faded when his lips were on hers again. He was relentless, drawing from her small cries of pleasure as his tongue ravaged deeply in her mouth.

He kept kissing her while his hands smoothed over her stomach and breasts. Then he was slowly moving both hands to the space between her thighs.

"Hinata, spread your legs just a little bit more," he whispered against her mouth.

She did, and she felt his purr of satisfaction at her back.

His fingers slid once more into her, readying her. She let out another moan and pressed the back of her head more firmly against his shoulder.

"I want to do it this way," he said.

"Yes," she breathed against his neck.

Naruto was so hot against her back. His chest, his abdomen, his unyielding muscles crowded her, made her feel safe but also made her feel excited, filled her with anticipation for his hard thrusts. He was panting against her temple now, matching her breath as she felt his fingers slide deep within her. But one of his hands went back to kneading her breasts, rubbing against her nipples, sending more heat running through her body.

"Thing is, Hinata, I really think I'm becoming a true disciple of Ero-sennin," he whispered with apology, his mouth close to her ear.

"Becoming!" she said with a surprised snort, her laughter tinged with disbelief, then ended in a low groan as he finally slid up into her. She lost her train of thought as he moved underneath her, his strong arms robbing her of breath as they clamped around her midriff, his teeth nipping at her neck as each upward thrust brought her closer and then sent her tumbling over the edge as she shattered.

Then he bent her body forward and gripped her hips to the angle he wanted. He was slow at first, leisurely moving behind her, and Hinata felt herself clamping around him as she felt each delicious slide. He felt it, too, and Naruto exhaled her name in a long, drawn out breath even as he tried to keep his slow, sure rhythm.

But his hands were now firmly against her waist, his stroking became quicker as he closed in on his own pleasure. Naruto finally tensed behind her and she could feel the intensity of his heat as he spent himself inside her.

He breathed a sigh of satisfaction as he took her down with him onto the bed. She spooned against him and felt him gently brush away the locks of hair that had fallen over her face.

Hinata laughed. "Naruto, you know you're _way_ past the 'becoming' stage, right?"

He chuckled as he kissed her on the ear. "If you say so."

Naruto pulled her closer to him and as he did, his eyes lit upon her gift, the photo of his parents, sitting on the shelf. He smiled.

Memories, he thought again, looking down at Hinata so happy and satisfied as she turned back to kiss him on the mouth. She shifted her head away and yawned. He pressed another kiss on the back of her head.

He would keep the memory of her forever in his heart.

He continued to hold her and Hinata was content to drowse away for a nap. But her eyelids suddenly flicked open when she felt another poke at her backside.

Naruto was rubbing her arm. "Hinata," he said, his voice teasing and cajoling. "How about another memory?"

Her shoulders shook with silent laughter. She then shifted on the bed so she could turn around and look fully into his face, at the blue eyes already gleaming with mischief and smoldering with anticipation.

"Hinata, what about page fifty-seven of _Icha Icha Paradise?_ Do you want to give that one a go?"

There was a horrified laugh, then in the silence that followed, her quiet voice said, "Maybe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, did you guys catch the last line? 
> 
> How is it that Hinata knew exactly what Naruto was talking about, down to the page number?! :p


	29. Epilogue

**Epilogue: Twenty-Five, Rebuilding Complete**

" _Boruto!"_ came the whisper. It was full of threat, even more frightening because it came from a blood-thirsty shinobi who'd just earned the rank of jonin.

"Boruto…"

It made the boy shiver with dread.

The voice came again, but this time in a sing-song tone, "Boruto, Hanabi-neechan's coming for you!"

An answering fit of childish giggles came from the back of the sofa, which was quickly smothered by a small hand.

Hanabi advanced and found her three-year-old nephew underneath a birthday hat, still giggling, but looking up at her expectantly, his arms already reaching out for the hugs and kisses she was going to smother him with. But before that, she was going to mercilessly tickle him.

Hinata smiled at both of them as she sliced the tomatoes from the kitchen counter. Boruto was shrieking with laughter.

"Hanabi, don't get him riled up too much. You know how crazy he gets."

Too late. Boruto managed to escape his aunt's clutches and ran smack into the shelf where the missive from the Hokage had been sitting. The documents fell to the floor. The little boy stood up with a smile, completely unfazed. He was waiting for his aunt to chase him again.

"Sorry, Onee-sama!" Hanabi said as she gathered up the scrolls. She glanced at them and looked at her older sister in surprise.

"So the Hokage wants you to help out with the Five Kage Summit next month?" she asked.

Seeing that Boruto was safe and was now clinging to Hanabi, Hinata kept slicing but answered her question. "Yes, I know a lot of the dignitaries who are coming with the Kages, so Kakashi-sama and Shikamaru asked me to pitch in."

"Oh, wow!" Hanabi said, but Boruto was already demanding her attention.

"Nee-chan! Nee-chan! One more time!" he cried as he pulled at her kimono.

"Okay, Boruto," Hanabi said, dropping her voice to a scary whisper.

Boruto squealed with delight and ran away, trying to find the next hiding place.

Hinata gave a quiet laugh. She then looked over at her father on the opposite side of the living room, who was also wearing a brightly-colored birthday hat on his head. In his long, graying hair, a tiny hand was tangled and was tugging with all her might.

"Father, does Himawari need to be changed?" she asked.

"Do you?" he asked the baby cradled in his arms. She only gurgled at him and drool dripped from her mouth. He wiped it with her bib and brought her diaper to his nose. He sniffed delicately.

"No," Hiashi said with a relieved laugh, but he brought her head closer to his nose and deeply inhaled her baby-powder scent.

Outside, a few feet away from the Uzumaki house, Shikamaru and Naruto were walking, but they were ready to part ways.

"I'll see you later tonight, Naruto," Shikamaru said.

"Yeah, I'm so excited! Oh, and could we add another person to the guest list?" Naruto asked.

"Sure! Who is it?"

"Iruka-sensei said he'll be able to make it."

Shikamaru smiled. "Nice. He's been so busy since he became principal at the Ninja Academy but that's good he'll show up."

"Thanks again for having the party at your place, Shikamaru," Naruto said.

"Oh, we don't mind!" his friend replied. "Our place is big enough for everyone. You know, Konohamaru wanted to do it at his place, too, but he couldn't get it cleaned in time. He still has a lot of the Third Hokage's junk to clean out."

Naruto chuckled.

Shikamaru smirked at him. "It's a major pain in the ass, but Temari was happy to host your birthday party. Can't believe that Gaara and Kankuro were able to get out of their duties and come all the way to Konoha just to party!"

This time, they both laughed.

"I'm glad the gang's all here to celebrate. It's been a while since we were all together, right? Maybe years!" Naruto mused.

"Yeah, maybe even since our chuunin exams? Wow!" Shikamaru said with surprise. "Still can't believe that it's been that long."

He then added with a warning, "Oh, and Tsunade-sama's in town, so she invited herself, and the Hokage, to the party, too."

Naruto's smile widened. "Kakashi-sensei and Granny, too! That's a surprise! I'm glad they could come, but that means you guys have to keep the sake stocked for the entire night."

Shikamaru laughed louder. "Just for _her_ , yeah. But, no worries there. Everyone's itching to celebrate so we made sure there's going to be enough sake to go around."

They reached the gates to Naruto's home and Shikamaru waved good-bye. "Later, man!"

As Naruto walked up the steps leading to his house, his eye caught something dark glinting on the side of the house, right above Hinata's flower box. He leaned down and pulled the shuriken out of the groove it had created.

"Sasuke," he murmured with a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head. _So dramatic_.

Most people sent notes and letters, but Sasuke had to do things his way.

 _I'll be there,_ was the shuriken message. Naruto grinned, suddenly thinking of Sakura when he'd seen her this morning and finally understanding the excitement that had gleamed in her eyes.

"There's a surprise for you!" was all she'd said when he'd asked her about her happy mood.

Well, _that_ surprise was now unwittingly ruined by her husband.

He stepped into the house and called out, "I'm home!"

Naruto heard the happy cries of his son, then Boruto was running out into the entranceway.

"Tou-chan!" he cried out in warning before he launched himself into his father's arms.

He laughed as the little boy's arms wrapped around him, the birthday hat on his head poked Naruto painfully in the eye.

He rubbed his eye gingerly then kissed his son on the forehead.

"Tou-chan! When do we eat the cake?" he asked excitedly.

"When your mother says it's okay," Naruto said with a smile.

Boruto's face fell. "I have to _wait?!_ "

The hardest thing for a three-year-old boy to do.

"Yes, we _have_ to because she's going to get angry if we don't," Naruto said with a grin.

Boruto's face was solemn. "Okay, I'll wait. She's scary when she's angry."

Naruto laughed, his shoulders shaking, but he carried him into the living room. He walked into the circle of Hinata's embrace and gave her a kiss. He then met his father-in-law's eyes across the room. Hiashi nodded at him even as Himawari cooed and tugged hard again at his hair, making the older man wince. Hanabi kept her cool as she stood up to greet him, but then she beamed at him, the perpetual lock of hair falling over her eyes.

He thought he heard Kurama sigh from within.

And Naruto grinned at all of them, loving everything in this life he had built.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Alright guys, that's a mic drop for me.

Thank you so much for your time, for reading this long-ass story. I hope you enjoyed the ride. Thanks again for all the wonderful comments throughout, I really do appreciate it. It makes me feel inspired to write more.

Hit me with your thoughts!


End file.
